Harrington startled to rise above
boyhood
heroes.
Padraig Harrington of
Ireland speaks to the media after the
practice round of The Alfred Dunhill Links Championship at The Old Course on
September 30, 2008 in St. Andrews, Scotland
ST ANDREWS, Scotland:
Padraig Harrington tees off in the Dunhill Links Championship today knowing
that victory will almost certainly ensure that he finishes an unforgettable
year as the European No 1.
The Irishman admits to being weary as he nears the end of a campaign which has
seen him move into the highest echelons of world golf courtesy of victories in
the final two Majors of the year, the Open Championship and US PGA.
But such is the 37-year-old's proficiency on St Andrews,
Kingsbarns and Carnoustie, the three links courses on which this week's $5
million tournament is being played, that he will start as the favourite to
complete a hat trick of Dunhill titles and, in the process, reclaim the Order
of Merit crown he won in 2006.
This year's back-to-back Major successes followed Harrington's breakthrough
victory at last year's Open, and he admits that he is still adapting to his
new-found status after having surpassed the achievements of boyhood heroes like
Ian Woosnam, Sandy Lyle and Jose Maria Olazabal.
"When I look at the guys who I put up on a pedestal as I was growing up, now
I have more Majors than them, and that startles me a bit," he confessed
yesterday. "I've won more Majors than those guys - and they were my
heroes. That's a hard one, probably the toughest one to get to grips with.
"If I was to catch Seve (Ballesteros) at five or Nick (Faldo) at six, it
would be something that I'd have to get my head around. And that's going to be
one of my tasks: to believe it and to go ahead and do it."
Ballesteros and Faldo failed to win titles at more than two Majors, Ballesteros
claiming three Opens and two US
Masters and Faldo clinching three of each.
"A Grand Slam is a different kettle of fish," Harrington admitted.
"I've (also) won two of the four. Yes, if I was going to win another
Major, I would like it to be one of the other two, but I'm not going to be
picky." - AFP
Published on the web by Cape
Times South Africa on October 1, 2008.