Padraig Harrington - Ryder Cup Europe

Padraig Harrington is one of ther best golfers to come out of Ireland. He has won Tournaments on both the European and US PGA Tours and won the British Open in 2007,after a thrilling play off with Sergio Garcia. It was Padraig’s first Major Title and later that year he was voted European Player of the Year and also became the Irish person of the year.

Padraig had a very successful amateur career and he turned Professional in 1995 and joined the European Tour a year later. He was rewarded with an early Tour victory, winning the Spanish Open the same year. Amazingly it took him a few years to win his next one, but his record of finishing second in Tournaments waas incredible.. He finished second, four times in 1999. His winning touch came back in 2000 and he had a win each year until 2004. He has finished in the European Tour Order of Merit, seven times, winning it in 2006.

He has appeared frequently on the US PGA Tour, winning the Honda Classic in 2005 and following that up with a win in the Barclay Classic, after sinking a 65 foot putt on the final hole to beat Jim Furyk. He has spent 200 weeks in the top ten of the World Rankings, between 2001 and 2008, his highest position being 6th. He is currently ranked 11th.

He has played in the last four Ryder Cups and has won in seven matches and lost in eight. His singles record is very good, winning three out of four, proving himslef as a man who rtelishes one to one battles.