This month is the twentieth anniversary of Padraig Harrington's first win on the European Tour. Joe Molloy remembered this factoid on Off the Ball tonight. On his first year on tour, he won the Portuguese Open, beating the ancient Gordon Brand Jr by four strokes.
There followed a famous run of second places before he picked up his next win on tour in 2000.
As an interviewee, Padraig Harrington does this thing where he insists on actually thinking about the answers he's giving to questions. Not about the PR implications. Just about the answers.
Molloy asked him to cast his eyes back to 1996 (the era of Britpop and Kevin Keegan telling Fergie he'd gone down in his estimation) and take a look at himself as a younger player. What advice would he give that lad? Harrington said he'd tell his 24-year-old self to revel in the victories a bit more. To be 'less disciplined' about his wins.
If I was going back to the guy in 1996, I would tell the guy to enjoy his wins more. It doesn't happen as often as you think. Even a really successful professional, if he wins more than once a year, and that is once out of about thirty events, he's having a great career. I think I would enjoy my wins more and I would be a little less disciplined about your wins. I think I'd tell the 24 year old, 'here look, enjoy it a bit more!'
As time passed, he got better about being less disciplined about his wins.
I had three tremendous parties after my major wins. I've gotta say, they were unbelievable. I have no regrets whatsoever about my celebrations of my major wins. I made sure I enjoyed those and I'm glad I did.
He also added that - in a roundabout way - that he wouldn't be playing golf without the influence of Christy O'Connor Snr.
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