Padraig Harrington: Patience in Pursuit of Glory

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In the last 60 years, only four golfers have accomplished the rare feat of back-to-back victories at The Open: Lee Trevino, Tom Watson, Tiger Woods and Padraig Harrington.

Three of those players were quick to make their mark on the big stage. Trevino won on his fourth major outing - at the 1968 U.S. Open – before claiming the Claret Jug for the first time at just the third attempt, Watson was victorious on his debut Open appearance in 1975 and Woods marked his maiden major as a professional with a sensational runaway victory in the 1997 Masters.

For Harrington, however, twin triumphs at Carnoustie and Royal Birkdale in 2007 and 2008 represented rewards for a patient and prolonged pursuit of glory.

The Irishman was 35 years old and into his 12th season as a professional when he first tasted major success. Other players may have been frustrated by such a wait, but Harrington’s experiences as a youngster ensured he was more than comfortable with taking gradual steps to the top of the game.

“I meet kids now who are off scratch at 12 or whatever. It was different for me,” Harrington said.

“I never had a lesson until I was 15 years of age and I was playing for Ireland. I got picked, you got into a coaching system, that’s the first time I ever had a formal lesson in my life.”

Although Harrington was nowhere near a scratch handicap in his early teenage years, his competitive spirit and desire to improve could not be matched. Over time, he steadily moved closer to the level required of a professional golfer.

“When I was 13 years of age, I was a 32 handicap. When I was 14 years of age, I was a 14 handicap. When I was 15 years of age, I was a nine handicap. When I was 16 years of age, I was a five handicap and when I was 17 years of age, I was a one handicap,” Harrington revealed.

“I liked playing; I liked winning. I got the job done. It was all about getting out there and competing and thankfully I was always good at winning at my level, so even though I was in a small pond I was able to succeed in that pond, and I never, ever skipped out of that level.

“I didn’t play a professional golf event until I was a professional at 24 years of age. I never played one as an amateur. I didn’t play senior amateur events until I was 18 years of age and out of junior golf, so it was all about playing at the level I was at and trying to win there.

“I always overachieved at the level I was at. So I would win junior competitions in my club, then junior competitions outside my club, but only at my level. I never stepped up a level. I was patient and that was the one thing my father always recommended. It was always about gradual improvement.”