Greens paved with gold for golf’s hottest talent

PÁDRAIG HARRINGTON is on course to become Ireland’s top-earning sportsman of all time after his latest win in one of golf’s biggest competitions.

His victory in the PGA Championship in the US in the early hours of yesterday morning not only earns him a place in the history books, but can also reap him handsome rewards in endorsements, sponsorship deals and appearance fees.

“He is the hottest talent in world golf at the moment,” said Eoin Conroy of Byrne Conroy Consulting, which has a sports sponsorship division. “The world is his oyster.”

The 36-year-old Dubliner has accumulated about €25 million in winnings since turning professional 13 years ago and, with his appearance fees now set to top €1m per event, he will never walk away from a competitive game empty-handed again.

But it is off the course where his real earning potential lies. Best known for extolling the virtues of Flora margarine, his achievement in winning three majors in 13 months — back-to-back victories in the British Open followed by the US PGA — means global brands will be keen to see him endorse their products.

Rival Tiger Woods has already broken endorsement records with his multi-million-dollar deal with Nike and other lucrative arrangements with Gillette, General Motors and American Express to name just a few of the corporate giants to which he has lent his name. But, with the world number one recovering from surgery until next year and his priority given to US events, the stage belongs to Harrington.

“He’s the first European in 78 years to win the PGA, he plays the European tours, he plays the Irish Open, as well as the American tournaments and he has a global appeal,” said Conroy. “In fact his appeal from a sales point of view is perfect. He ticks all the boxes. I’m sure he hates to be described as wholesome and nice, but that’s the man. He’s a family man with steely determination and he has thrown off the ‘nearly man’ tag.”

It probably also helps that the gentleman of the greens is 6ft 1in tall with a killer smile and clear diction to boot.

“He has the common touch and you can’t put a value on that,” said Conroy.

Those who have measured his worth value him highly. He is believed to have got €800,000 just to swing a club at the last Hong Kong Open and that could be cheap at the price in future.

Bank of Ireland, thought to have got Harrington to wear their logo for a modest €350,000 before last year’s British Open win, may also have to recalculate to keep him on side, and Wilson Staff, the long-time suppliers of his clubs; Kartel, whose clothing he wears; Oceanico, whose holiday properties he promotes, and other smaller backers, will also have to raid the kitty when it’s time to renegotiate their deals.

Conroy believes Harrington will choose carefully. “Pádraig is very loyal. I’d be surprised, for example, to see him suddenly dumping Flora even if it isn’t the most glamorous product.”

One sponsor who did the dumping months before Harrington’s run of success took off must be kicking themselves. Fáilte Ireland used the golfer as an ambassador for Irish tourism but decided to put their money elsewhere early last year.