Pádraig Harrington: Christy O’Connor Snr made it possible for me to play golf

Pádraig Harrington broke off from his preparations for a 21st professional appearance at the Irish Open yesterday to attend the funeral of Christy O’Connor Snr, the golfing great who made it possible for him to play golf.

Harrington feels he has nothing left to prove in golf after a professional career which began at the K Club in 1995 with a nervy opening round 77 at the Smurfit European Open and the Dubliner overhearing a more seasoned pro discussing his play and asking “why is he turning pro?”

Now 44 and with three major championship wins to his name, Harrington has had the last laugh but as he returned to the K Club following O’Connor’s funeral in Clontarf to resume his build-up to this week’s Dubai Duty Free Irish Open, he explained how if it was not for the late great inspiring his father Paddy to take up the game, he might never have been a golfer at all.