Padraig Harrington has confirmed his status as one of golf’s greatest players thanks to his efforts on the course over the years.
The Irishman boasts three major wins, the first of which arrived at The Open in 2007. That was backed up by another win at The Open a year later, with the PGA Championship also going his way in 2008.
But he also boasts a superb character, with Harrington certainly well-liked on the tour thanks to his approach to the game.
Such respect has now spilled into the World Golf Hall of Fame, with the 52-year-old among the latest to receive the honour.
Unfortunately, however, he will not be on show at the US Open in Pinehurst, with the three-time major winner recently withdrawing from the competition.
Padraig Harrington shares his favourite rule in golf
It is a major loss for the tournament, with Harrington once behind only Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson in the world rankings.
That may have been a long time ago, but his love for the game has remained, with Harrington sharing an insight into his love for golf, highlighting one area of the sport in particular.
“I’ve always loved it,” Harrington told the official PGA Tour website. “I’ve always been obsessed with the why. I love the etiquette of the game. This is crazy. I love the fact that you don’t get a drop out of a divot.
“I think that’s one of the greatest rules in golf, because golf was never meant to be fair. It was never a fair game. It’s a test of the mental and physical capabilities.
“That’s what we did as kids with my family. We talked around the dinner table about the nuances of the rules. We were all into it.”
Rory McIlroy heavily influenced by Padraig Harrington
While Harrington may not be participating at Pinehurst later this week, he will undoubtedly be watching on.
World number one Scottie Scheffler will be hard to beat in North Carolina given his recent form on the course, but there could be hope for Northern Irishman Rory McIlroy.
The former world number one owes a lot of his success to Harrington, explaining that the latter ‘really kickstarted the whole Irish golf movement’.
McIlroy has four major titles to his name, one of which came at the US Open in 2011, but he has endured a barren run lately in such competitions.
It will be an exciting battle between the world’s best golfers later this week, with very little room for error at Pinehurst.
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