It’s Paddy’s Day at British Open

Irish Voice Sport

It’s Paddy’s Day at British Open

July 25, 2007

By Cathal Dervan

THE sky is now the limit for newly crowned British Open champion Padraig Harrington after his stunning playoff victory at Carnoustie on Sunday, with the Dubliner wanting to get his hands on more and more majors.

Harrington, 35, overcame Spain’s Sergio Garcia in the four hole playoff to become the first Irish golfer since Fred Daly in 1947 to win a major, and the first European to do so in eight years.

His breakthrough major win has catapulted Harrington up to sixth in the world rankings, he’s been feted by President Mary McAleese and Taoiseach (Prime Minister) Bertie Ahern and he’s guaranteed celebrity status for the rest of his life in his homeland.

“My goal was always to win more than one major,” said Harrington after his incredible win. “I was determined that if I ever crossed that threshold to win one, I wouldn’t feel like it was the end of the road.”

“Now I’ve won one, I’ll try and win another, rather than feeling this is the pinnacle. It’s important that I go and try to win another major rather than feeling this was the pinnacle. I’m going to celebrate like it was the pinnacle but I’ve got other goals now to move on with. I’m certainly going to enjoy this one for the foreseeable future. Forever actually.”

Harrington showed real steel to win the playoff after twice going into the water on the 18th. A double bogey six followed but Garcia, playing behind Harrington, could only manage a five at the same hole to ensure the playoff after Harrington came back from a six shot deficit overnight.

“I never let myself think I had blown the Open,” claimed Harrington. “If I had lost I would have struggled to come back out and be a professional golfer. It meant that much to me. It would have been incredibly hard to take.”

“If I’d lost I don’t know what I’d think about playing golf again. But the 18th is the toughest finishing hole in golf. There’s trouble everywhere you look. I knew it was going to be tough for Sergio to make par. He did hit a lovely putt and I thought he had holed it.”

The dramatic four hole playoff eventually came down to the 18th when a short putt for a bogey five was enough to win for Harrington.

“It was a huge moment of genuine shock,” he admitted afterwards. “I know it was only a short putt, but to see it rolling in. I couldn’t believe the emotion. I was thinking, I am the Open Champion. Am I really the Open Champion? What does this mean?”

“There were so many things going through my head. I know it’s going to take a long, long time to sink in. When I started out as a pro I thought I’d have a great time playing golf and, hopefully, carve out a comfortable living for myself on tour.”

“I don’t know if I ever believed I was going to do anything like this. It’s been a long road. I just dug in and drew on my experience at playing links golf since boyhood and really did convince myself that I could win.”

The Claret Jug stopped off at Harrington’s home course at Stackstown on Monday night as the Dubliner came to terms with the magnitude of his achievement.

“It’s going to take a long time for it to settle in. There was so much going through my mind, some of it was genuine shock I had won the Open Championship,” added Harrington.

“It’s going to mean a lot for Irish golf. We celebrate all our sporting achievements; we’re a great country for anyone who does well. I’m very proud of the support I get at home. Far more people have more belief in me than I have in myself.”

And then came the tribute to his parents and his late father Paddy, who died of cancer just two years ago. “I’d like to thank my mum and dad. My dad is not here but I’m sure he is looking down,” said Harrington, close to tears.

Ahern led the congratulations to Harrington. “This is an incredible personal achievement and I am delighted for him and his family as I know how close he has come to winning a major on a number of previous occasions,” Ahern said.

“I know of Padraig’s dedication and single-minded determination to improve his golf. I watched the afternoon’s coverage, as I know did thousands of other Irish people, and enjoyed the excitement and send my best wishes to Padraig on this fantastic victory.”

With his new status as a major winner, Harrington can watch the money roll as he can expect to top $100 million in endorsements and winnings on the back of his breakthrough win.

Victory in the British Open came with a winner’s check for a cool $1.5 million, but that is only the tip of the iceberg.

And Harrington’s manager, Adrian Mitchell of the International Management Group sees the U.S. really taking the player to its heart in the wake of this win.

“Padraig’s got a great following on the East Coast of the U.S. and the Open victory will only enhance his popularity out there and get his name registered with golf fans who might not necessarily have known him before especially with all the drama surrounding his win,” said Mitchell.

Not everyone is in the money after the win however the bookies were cleaned out to the tune of $20 million dollars when Harrington landed the win.

In the immediate future, Harrington will skip the Player’s Championship of Europe in Germany this week and will return to the fairways in Ohio next week.

Tiger Woods is the defending champion when Harrington joins the field at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitation in Akron.

The following week Harrington will be among the favorites for the final major of the season, the U.S. PGA Championship at Southern Hills in Oklahoma.

The British Open win also means Harrington qualifies for the PGA of America’s Grand Slam Championship in Bermuda in October and the U.S. Tour’s season-opening Mercedes Championship in Hawaii next January.

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