Former champion O’Leary pays tribute to ‘extraordinary’ Harrington

GOOD on you, Pádraig Harrington.

That was the message yesterday from John O’Leary after his unwanted claim to fame of being the last Irish man to win the national championship was finally brought to an end.

“Everybody was very hopeful today. It’s so appropriate that Europe’s number one should be the first Irish player to win his own native championship since I did so back in 1982,” said O’Leary, who was one of the first to congratulate Harrington on his victory.