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Pádraig (the Irish Language version of the name Patrick) Harrington was born the youngest of 5 sons in Ballyroan, Dublin, Ireland on August 31, 1971.  His father was a quite the sportsman being involved in Gaelic football, boxing, track (hurling), and was a five handicap in golf.

Pádraig became interested in golf when he was young and eventually met Joseph McGinly who was a golf enthusiast at his school.  McGinly became Harrington’s coach, while another local, Mark Hynes, a local professional, became his caddie.

Although Harrington had been interested in golf at an early age he was long in coming into competitive golf.  He had gone to college and majored in accounting and after a few years in that field of work while playing amateur golf.

His reason for not turning professional sooner was that he initially doubted his skills in the sport.   Harrington had a successful amateur career.   He was a part of the Great Britain and Ireland Walker Cup team that won in 1995.

Later that year he made the decision and turned professional, joining the European tour a year later.  His first victory came in 1996 when he won the Peugeot Spanish Open.  After several years on the European Tour, Harrington joined the PGA Tour in 2005.  His first PGA Tour victory was at the Honda Classic in that same year.

Over his career Pádraig Harrington has had 25 professional wins including 14 European Tour wins, three of those being Major Championships (the 2007 and 2008 British Open and the 2008 PGA Championship).