After a play-off victory over Sergio Garcia at Carnoustie in 2007, Harrington became the first European to win back-to-back Open Championships since James Braid in 1905-06 when he beat Ian Poulter by four at Royal Birkdale 12 months later – and that after fearing that injury might keep him out of his Claret Jug defence.
Padraig Harrington captured his first Claret Jug in the most dramatic of fashion after a battle with Sergio Garcia on the notoriously difficult Carnoustie Golf Links. A play-off was needed to separate the two golfers.
Padraig Harrington played the shot of his career on the 17th hole at Royal Birkdale in 2008. It gave him the greatest walk in golf up the 18th knowing he was about to defend his title of Champion Golfer of the Year
After a play-off victory over Sergio Garcia at Carnoustie in 2007, Harrington became the first European to win back-to-back Open Championships since James Braid in 1905-06 when he beat Ian Poulter by four at Royal Birkdale 12 months later – and that after fearing that injury might keep him out of his Claret Jug defence.
Only three weeks later, the Dubliner ended a 78-year European drought in the PGA Championship, with Garcia second again.
Winner of the World Cup for Ireland with Paul McGinley in 1997, he made the first of six Ryder Cup appearances two years later and captained the side in America in 2021.
His career also includes four PGA Tour wins in America and last season he added four PGA Tour Champions titles, among them the US Senior Open at his first attempt, as well as finishing runner-up at both The Tradition and then the Senior Open a stroke behind Darren Clarke. Harrington came close again at May's Senior PGA Championship, losing a play-off to Steve Stricker.
Led the European Tour money list in 2006, his victories including the 2007 Irish Open when he became the first home winner for 25 years, and at the age of 49 tied for fourth at the 2021 PGA Championship when world-ranked 257th.