 |
| Padraig Harrington at the Irish Open. (DUP Photos) |
By Brian Keogh
Brian Keogh is a golf correspondent for The Irish Sun and a contributor to The Irish Times, Golf Digest Ireland and other golf publications. The following excerpt from Brian’s Irish Golf Desk is used with permission.
OPEN CHAMPION PHIL MICKELSON HAS HANDED Pádraig Harrington the chance to win another PGA Grand Slam of Golf in Bermuda. The left-hander has pulled out of October’s $1.35m clash of the season’s four major winners because of “an end-of-season scheduling conflict.”
That means that Harrington will step in as a replacement for the second year running after taking the $600,000 top prize as a stand-in for the injured Ernie Els last year.
The three-time major winner will take on Masters champion Adam Scott, US Open champion Justin Rose and US PGA Champion Jason Dufner at Port Royal Golf Course from October 14-16.
The Dubliner, 42 later this month, made up for runner up finishes in 2007 and 2007 when he beat Webb Simpson, Bubba Watson and Keegan Bradley over 36 holes last year.
Despite a nightmare season, he gets another chance because the defending PGA Grand Slam of Golf champion gets first refusal if a current major champion is unable to compete. If there are other withdrawals the Major Champions Points list—which charts the performance throughout the year of active major champions—is used to complete the field.
Brian Keogh covers golf for The Irish Sun and contributes to a variety of golf publications. Pay him a visit at Irish Golf Desk.
OK, so Paddy gets the first refusal as the winer from last year… but why was he invited to participate last year (replacing Els)? Not world ranking, not wins, not runner-up spots. I'm intrigued to know how that came about
Kevin: Here's what Brian reported last year when Paddy got in:
"The PGA of America revealed that Harrington was offered the chance to play after second and third alternates, Graeme McDowell and Tiger Woods, were unavailable."
Good lad, Neil… but still think that there were more who were deserving (both years) – and that's coming from an Irishman who loves Padraig.