Pádraig’s decision to defend Irish PGA crown irks Euro Tour

CONFIRMATION of Pádraig Harrington’s playing schedule in upcoming weeks has brought both delight but also disappointment to fans and tournament organisers on both sides of the Irish Sea.

Harrington has delighted Irish golf fans with his decision to defend his Ladbrokes.com Irish PGA title, running from Wednesday July 8 to Saturday July 11 on the European Club course at Brittas Bay.

The triple Major winner will be looking to capture a sixth Irish PGA title and a third in succession before heading to Turnberry, where he will be striving to become the first player since Australia’s Peter Thomson in 1956 to win three straight British Open titles.

“I’m looking forward to defending the Ladbrokes.com Irish PGA Championship,” he said. “The event is being played on the excellent links course of The European Club and it’s great preparation ahead of defending The Open at Turnberry the following week.

“The field is always strong in the Irish PGA Championship so, I will certainly have to play well to contend.”

Joining Harrington at the European Club will be Des Smyth, a six-times Irish PGA winner. For the past two years, Harrington has won the Irish PGA and then proceeded to capture golf’s oldest Major.

And bizarrely, Harrington won both events in a similar manner.

Two years ago he won a fourth Irish PGA in a play-off and a week later he beat Sergio Garcia in a play-off to win the British Open at Carnoustie. Last year, he successfully defended his Irish PGA in winning by four strokes – the same margin by which he retained the claret jug at Royal Birkdale.

But causing disappointment is Harrington’s decision not to enter next fortnight at Wentworth for the flagship BMW PGA Championship has not pleased others, particularly the European Tour and BMW.

Harrington will travel to Wentworth but without his clubs to attend a black tie gala dinner on the Tuesday night where he will accept his ‘European Tour 2008 Player of the Year’ award.

Then on the eve of the BMW PGA, Harrington will be at Turnberry and venue for this year’s British Open hosting a corporate day for sponsors Wilson.

It means the Tour and sponsors BMW losing out on a double Major-winning Wentworth tournament promotion as was the scenario earlier this year in Abu Dhabi. Harrington was enticed to bring the claret jug and his US PGA Championship trophy to Abu Dhabi whilst Trevor Immelman, the then reigning US Masters champion, packed his Augusta green jacket into his suitcase.