Harrington hits jackpot with lucrative new sponsorship deal

PÁDRAIG HARRINGTON yesterday signed a multi-euro, multi-year global partnership with FTI Consulting, a company describing itself as “the world leader in event driven consulting”.

And, a major aspect of the agreement will see the FTI branding displacing Wilson on the front of Padraig’s cap for the next number of years.

The 37-year-old Dubliner recently signed a three-year renewal of his golf club contract with Wilson Golf believed to be worth in the region of €10 million. At the time, though, Harrington’s manager Adrian Mitchell of IMG was aware of the pending deal with FTI.

The Wilson logo, so familiar to television viewers and spectators over the years, will now appear on the side of the hat. Given the value of the Wilson deal, one can only wonder how much this latest one is worth.

Before turning pro in 1996, Harrington qualified as a certified accountant, “mirroring”, as yesterday’s press release put it, “the background of a number of FTI’s 3,600 professionals around the world.”

Declan Kelly, a former Irish Examiner journalist, is executive vice-president and chief integration officer for FTI. He expanded why the company have agreed to one of their largest ever sponsorship contracts:

“Our new partnership with Pádraig Harrington represents the next stage in the evolution of the FTI brand and our company’s presence all over the world,” he said.

“In 2009 we intend to maintain our strong growth strategy and that means expanding our presence and our brand awareness to as many corners of the world as possible, especially in the markets where we now have a physical operational presence.”

Meanwhile five birdies from his last six holes helped Robert Rock charge into a share of the lead at the halfway stage of the Alfred Dunhill Championship yesterday.

The Englishman, who shot a six-under-par 66 in his first round, was just as impressive on day two with a 67 moving him joint-top at the Leopard Creek Golf Club on 11-under, alongside overnight leader Len Mattiace and Oskar Henningsson — the Swede shooting a 64 for the best round thus far.

Current Sunshine Tour Order of Merit leader Richard Sterne, one of the most promising talents in the South African game, had set the earlier pace with his six-under-par round of 66 leaving him one shot off the leaders.

A bunch of five players are clustered on nine-under, including 2004 winner Charl Schwartzel, while world number 10 Lee Westwood is one of three players a further shot back on eight-under.