Pádraig’s steely eyes always focused on return to top

He was becoming one of the world’s forgotten golfers — compared to others like David Duval, Lee Jansen, Ian Baker Finch and Sandy Lyle – all Major champions who had vanished from the golfing scene.

But no one told Pádraig Harrington. While others had slipped away quietly – almost accepting their fate, Harrington remained determined and his steely eyes stayed focused on returning to the top of the professional game.

And so it happened once more last week when Harrington won his seventh PGA title, the 31st of his pro career at the Honda Classic on the very difficult PGA National course against what was the best field of the year to date. His victory in dramatic circumstances would have surprised many, but not Harrington. He had been preparing a long time for this moment.