Pádraig seeking missing link

AN event that’s hardly on the professional golf radar this week offers Pádraig Harrington his last chance of redemption before heading for Turnberry in search of a third successive British Open Championship.

Harrington is in the unique and privileged position of having a tournament staged almost entirely for his benefit. When the Irish PGA Championship looked doomed some years ago having failed to find a sponsor, Harrington promised to play provided the event was staged on a links on the week before the Open.

With Harrington on board, the IPGA were able to come up with financial support, in this case from Ladbroke.com, and the event was staged as promised on the appropriate date at Pat Ruddy’s spectacular European Club links right on the Irish Sea at Brittas Bay in Co Wicklow.