Padraig Harrington
Residence: Dublin, Ireland
DOB: 31/08/1971
When you win 3 Major’s in the space of 14 months something must be going right. After a slow start to his professional career, Padraig Harrington is now mentioned in the same breath as Phil Mickelson, Ernie Els and even Tiger Woods.
In the past Harrington was known for being the nearly man of golf. Second place was not unfamiliar territory, finishing here 4 out of 5 weeks back in 1999. However, once he found the winning touch he has gone from strength to strength. Having finished runner-up in 2001 and 2002, and 3rd in 2003 and 2004 the catalyst for his success seemed to be securing the 2006 European Tour Order of Merit. Our photo of Padraig shows him holding the Harry Vardon Trophy, presented to the Order of Merit winner, after securing the Order of Merit title at the final event in Valderrama, just edging out Paul Casey.
Padraig Harrington’s became the first European to successfully defend The Open Championship when he battle with a wrist injury to stave off the challenge of veteran Greg Norman at Royal Birkdale in July 2008.
Harrington started playing golf at the age of 4 and by the age of 15 was down to scratch. After a successful amateur career, including winning the Walker Cup with the Great Britain & Ireland team in 1995, he went on to take a degree in accountancy – but soon decided to concentrate on golf - with hindsight, a canny move! He made his debut in the European Ryder Cup team in 1999 – and has been a regular team member ever since – on the winning side in 2002 and 2004 – and of course, in his home country of Ireland when the Europeans beat the US again at the K Club in 2006.
Reaching a career high world #3 in 2008, Harrington has enjoyed his best season as a professional. Excellent results in the Majors including 2 victories (The Open and the PGA Championship) and 5th place finish at the US Open together with a host of top-10’s has seen Harrington place well in the Order of Merits on both sides of the Atlantic. The gloss was taken off the season with defeat in the Ryder Cup, but I’m sure that looking back at 2008 this will not cloud his vision on what was a remarkable season.
Padraig Harrington Club History
Below is a selection of clubs used by Padraig Harrington throughout his career
Padraig Harrington Tournament History
2009 World Golf Championship - CA Championship |
12-15 March 2009 - Doral Golf and Spa Resort - Phil Mickelson won his first World Golf Championships title on Sunday at the CA Championship, where he held off Nick Watney to take the title by one stroke and his 36th career victory. However this was perhaps not the most news worthy story of the week. During his opening round, Henrik Stenson thought it a good idea to play from out of the water! After stripping down to his boxer shorts the Swede preceded to do just this. And it was down to PGA Tour photographer Kyle Auclair to capture this magical moment. With the world’s best golf photographers trailing Tiger Woods, Kyle decided he was going to follow other players instead. Little did he know this particular sequence of images would be plastered on newspapers, websites and television shows all over the country the next day. |
In Padraig Harrington's bag...A fantastic opening round of 66 saw Padraig in contention to add this WGC title to his Major haul from last year. Sadly he could not continue this into the weekend and 3 consecutive rounds of 71 saw the 2008 Open and PGA Champion fall back to finish in a tie for 20th place. Padraig Harrington was still using his Wilson Staff Dd6+ that helped carry him to Open Championship success at Carnoustie. His fairways were the new Wilson Staff FYbrid’s that combine the best aspects of fairway woods and hybrids. However Harrington still carries the Dh6 that seal him the Open when he smashed it to within 5 feet on the 17th for an eagle. His irons were Wilson staff Pi5's - again still in the bag from his back to back open wins (why would you change?). His wedges however have changed. He was carrying Wilson Staff TW9 wedges, new for Wilson Staff for the 2009 season. His putter though like so many fellow professionals remains the same. His Odyssey White Hot 2-Ball blade has holed the putt that sealed his most important professional victories.
(CLICK ON IMAGES TO SEE FULL SIZE VERSION). |
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2009 Arnold Palmer Invitational |
26-29 March 2009 - Bay Hill Country Club and Lodge - This week marked the return of the Tiger Woods we all know and love. After 9 months out of action after re-constructive knew surgery - a birdie putt at the 72nd hole saw Tiger win as Bay Hill for a sixth time. Those familiar back-nine heroics and a putt that everyone knew he was going to drain saw the world number 1 come from 5 strokes back on the final day - equalling his career best comeback. This remarkable comeback must have been great to watch apart from the eyes of Sean O’Hair who Woods beat into second place. |
In Padraig Harrington's bag...Harrington still seems to have glimpses of the form that took him to 2 consecutive Major titles in 2008. Opening rounds of 70 and 68 put him in contention to claim another victory this week. However a third round of 73 put pay to any hope of a win. A closing 70 restored some of the damage cause on the Saturday and placed the Irishman one shot outside another top-10 finish. Padraig Harrington was still using his Wilson Staff Dd6+ that helped carry him to Open Championship success at Carnoustie. His fairways were the new Wilson Staff FYbrid’s that combine the best aspects of fairway woods and hybrids. However Harrington still carries the Dh6 that seal him the Open when he smashed it to within 5 feet on the 17th for an eagle. His irons were Wilson staff Pi5's - again still in the bag from his back to back open wins (why would you change?). His wedges however have changed. He was carrying Wilson Staff TW9 wedges, new for Wilson Staff for the 2009 season. His putter though like so many fellow professionals remains the same. His Odyssey White Hot 2-Ball blade has holed the putt that sealed his most important professional victories.
(CLICK ON IMAGES TO SEE FULL SIZE VERSION). |
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2008 The PGA Championship |
7-10 August - PGA Championship - Oakland Hills. Padraig Harrington secured his 3rd Major Championship in 13 months at the 90th PGA Championship. With an incredible 8-under mark over the final 36 holes thanks to matching 4-under-par 66’s, Harrington posted a 3-under, 277, total for a 2 stroke victory ahead of Sergio Garcia and Ben Curtis. It was the Irishman's 2nd major win in just 3 weeks. Interestingly, it seemed as though Harrington was ready to throw in the towel after a 4-over 74 in the 2nd round put him at +5 for the tournament. |
In Padraig Harrington's bag...Padraig Harrington has been a Wilson Staff professional since 1998 and is instrumental in the development of the new Wilson Staff irons, driver and wedges. 12 of his 14 clubs are manufactured by Wilson Staff and have helped him to back-to-back Open Championships (07 and 08) and a PGA Championship (08). Harrington drove off with a Wilson Staff Dd6+ with which he averages 296 yards from the tee. He used a combination of Wilson Staff fairway woods that includes their new offering, the Wilson Staff FYbrid (13˚). Harrington was also one of the first players on Tour to utilise the performance that a hybrid can bring currently using the Wilson Staff FYbrid FY. He also uses the premium iron offering from Wilson Staff, the Pi7 (4-P) and completed his set with the Wilson Staff Tw7 wedge (55˚ and 60˚). Padraig completed his set with an Odyssey Whit Hot 2-Ball Blade.
(CLICK ON IMAGES TO SEE FULL SIZE VERSION). |
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2007 BMW PGA Championship |
24-27 May - BMW PGA Championship - West Course at Wentworth. The BMW PGA Championship was played out on a rain-lashed West Course at Wentworth in Surrey. Traditionally, the PGA attracts one of the strongest fields on the European Tour and this time was no exception with Vijay Singh, Ernie Els, Michael Campbell and others all making the trip across the pond. It was not, however, one of the better known superstars who walked off with the trophy and 725,000 Euro first prize, but Anders Hansen from Denmark who holed a 25 foot birdie putt on the first sudden-death play-off hole against England’s Justin Rose. This was only Hansen’s second victory on Tour – bizarrely the only other win was the same tournament – then called the Volvo PGA – five years earlier in 2002. |
In Padraig Harrington's bag...Slightly better photos of Padraig's bag at Wentworth - where he finished 24th - showing his Wilson Pi5 irons. The rest of the kit remains the same - DD6+ driver, Dh6 hyrbrid and Odyssey White Hot 2-Ball Blade putter. Our action shot of Padraig at Wentworth shows him using his Pi5 9 iron.
(CLICK ON IMAGES TO SEE FULL SIZE VERSION). |
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2007 The Players Championship |
10-13 May - The Players Championship - TPC at Sawgrass - Stadium Course. The Players Championship (TPC) has for a long time been considered golf’s ‘5th’ Major because of the traditionally very strong field – typically the top 50 players in the world congregate to battle it out for the huge prize money. The victor this time was Phil Mickelson who, helped by Tiger’s old coach, Butch Harmon, bagged the $1.62m first prize and the 31st PGA Tour victory of his career after finishing with a 3-under 69 and a two-stroke victory over Sergio Garcia. Stewart Cink and Jose Maria Olazabal a further stroke back tied 3rd. The Stadium course is famous for its tiny island green on the par 3 17th – which this time proved a watery grave for a record 94 golf balls (it’s not just us handicappers who end up in the drink). This was Mickelson’s first victory at the TPC after 14 attempts. |
In Padraig Harrington's bag...Infernal headcovers! Still, we know what's in Padraig's back at the TPC from the Wilson website - and they are exactly the same clubs he used a week after this shot was taken to win the Irish Open in May 2007: Wilson Dd6 driver, Staff Dh6 Hybrid, Staff Pi5 irons, TW7 wedges and an Odyssey White Hot 2-Ball Blade Putter. Our spies at the Irish Open say he was actually using a Callaway X Hot fairway wood rather than the FwS which the headcover suggests - however we'll reserve judgement for the moment...
(CLICK ON IMAGES TO SEE FULL SIZE VERSION). |
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