The golf champion who has shown how to turn talent into greatness

I HAVE never met Padraig Harrington. Well, that’s not entirely true. He once, last year, held a door open for me, and when I passed him without realising who it was, he said, “you’d think a better class of doorman would be worth acknowledging”.

I was covered with embarrassment.

Imagine not even recognising that an Open champion was holding the door for me. But he laughed and told me that next time he’d expect a tip!