The Unstoppable Winning Golfer – Pádraig Harrington

Padraig Harrington (pronounced PAW-draig) pulled a clutch luck of the Irish win at the 2024 Hoag Classic Newport Beach in spectacular fashion! Could Harrington go onto multiple wins this season? It’s too early to tell, but it could go that way.

When asked about his win in Newport Beach, California, Harrington said, “I thought I played really well; I drove it great all day, (just) kept leaving myself downhill putts”. “I was delighted there on the last hole, that it was 8 feet uphill, I said, ‘Thankfully.’

Harrington closed in 2-under 69 for a winning total of 14-under 199, making it one stroke clear of competitor Thongchai Jaidee, who matched Harrington’s final-round score after trailing by one into Sunday.

“Throughout my career, the best thing I do is when my back’s to the wall,” Harrington said. “When I have to do something, I’m at my best, and I’m at my absolute worst when I’ve got an easy shot.

History

Pádraig (that’s the Irish spelling for Patrick) Harrington was born in Dublin, Ireland, August 31, 1971. He was the youngest of five strapping boys to Patrick and Breda Harrington. His late father, “Paddy” (1933–2005) was a police officer (aka Garda) who played Gaelic football for Cork in the 1950s, was a competitive boxer and hurler, and played a five handicap in golf. Let’s just say Harrington comes from a good Irish stock.

After a successful career as an amateur, including winning the Walker Cup with the Great Britain & Ireland team in his third appearance in 1995, Harrington turned pro that same year, joining the European Tour in 1996. Harrington found himself in professional golf at a relatively late age, having studied accounting at university for a number of years while playing competitive amateur golf. He was unsure whether to turn pro, initially doubting his own God-given talents.

Career

The Dubliner is unquestionably one of the finest golfers in Irish history, having run away with back to back Open Championship wins in 2007 and 2008 and capping it with a PGA Championship win in 2008. That 2007 win was at the Irish Open catapulted Harrington to becoming the first home winner of the Irish Open in 25 years.

Harrington also reached number three in the world golf rankings and captured the the PGA Player of the Year award in 2008 after winning his two majors. He won the European Tour Golfer of the Year award in 2007 and 2008. And in 2023 Harrington was inducted into the Golf Hall of Fame.

His eldest brother, Tadhg, is a professional golf coach who owns and teaches at the Harrington Golf Academy in Dublin, Ireland. Harrington is a distant cousin of former Detroit Lions NFL quarterback Joey Harrington and 1995 World Series of Poker champion and author Dan Harrington. His caddy since 2004, Ronan Flood married Susie Gregan, the sister of Harrington’s wife, in 2007.

Harrington has been involved with a number of charities including Make-A-Wish Foundation, Golf Ireland and the Special Olympics for which he acted as Global Ambassador in 2010. He is also a backer of the Irish charity Oesophageal Cancer Fund (OCF) since 2006. Harrington’s own father passed away due to oesophageal cancer the night prior to the 2005 Open Championship, forcing Harrington to bow out of the competition. Harrington represented Ireland at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio and was quoted saying “I’m an Olympian now and no one can ever take that away from me.”

Harrington stands 6’1″ and tied the knot with long term sweetheart Caroline back in 1997, and the two have known each other since they were kids. Caroline follows alongside Harrington at the Ryder Cups as well as his major wins. The family live in South Dublin with their two sons: Patrick and Ciaran. The house is said to have chipping and putting greens dotted about the property. His golf winnings are said to be $26,172,322 and his net worth is estimated to be $40 Million.

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