Pádraig Harrington believes that it’s better to be a “big fish in a small pond” and become a serial winner in your area rather than progressing through the levels too early during a golf career and having a fear of losing.
Harrington’s career is true to his word, determined to be on a winning Walker Cup team, the Dubliner played for Great Britain and Ireland in 1991 and 1993 before finally triumphing in 1995 at Royal Porthcawl.
Between 1987 and 1995, Harrington played 103 matches for Ireland across Boys, Youths and Senior international teams, and his record includes 53 wins for the senior team.
The individual amateur highlights were a Sherry Cup victory in 1991, a West of Ireland title in 1994, and the double of Irish Amateur Open and Irish Close title in 1995 – a feat matched by Peter O’Keeffe in 2021.
After achieving what he wanted at amateur level, he turned professional and played his first European Tour event aged 24.
Harrington began his European Tour journey in 1996 and it was only after he won for the ninth time in 2004 that he joined the PGA Tour in 2005. It didn’t take him long to break though Stateside as he picked up his first PGA Tour victory that March at The Honda Classic.
His dominance continued in Europe however, he won for the tenth time in 2006 en route to winning the European Tour Order of Merit before he peaked between 2007 and 2008, winning the Irish Open, two Open Championships and the PGA Championship.
Speaking to the Cookie Jar Golf Podcast, Harrington recalled how winning became a habit for him because he rarely played outside of his level. Rather than fast track his progression to the top, he prioritised winning until he felt comfortable enough to move up the levels.
Harrington is still playing golf to that tune today. The 53-year-old plays occasionally on the DP World Tour and PGA Tour but in the meantime, he has racked up nine Champions Tour wins since joining the circuit aged 50 where he is classified as one of the younger players due to his driving distance.
Harrington has previously admitted that he enjoys playing on the Champions Tour as it sharpens him up to make the step up to the main tours although top-20 finishes on the DP World Tour and PGA Tour don’t satisfy him.
“The one thing about my whole career which really differs from the kids today, I never really played outside of my level,” said the 41-time winner as a professional which includes 15 DP World Tour wins and 6 PGA Tour wins.
“When I was 15 I played under 15s when I was 18 I played, I didn’t skip, I didn’t play a pro event until I was 24 years of age.
“I’m a big fan of being a big fish in a small pond and winning. Winning in your area and then stepping into the next area. I like to see people winning but maybe that’s because of my own personal experiences.”
At the end of 2024, 22-year-old Tom McKibbin earned a PGA Tour card via the Race to Dubai on the DP World Tour. In 2023 he clinched his one and only DP World Tour win at the Porsche European Open but his consistency in 2024 is what propelled him to a PGA Tour card.
However, McKibbin gave up his chances Stateside when he signed a deal with LIV Golf for the 2025 season where he has finished 15th and 7th in his first two starts, winning $1.88m in the process.
Harrington questioned the wisdom behind McKibbin’s move to the Saudi backed tour and even felt a jump to the PGA Tour may have been too soon for the Holywood clubman.
“He’s done what he needs to have done. Got through the Challenge Tour, won on (the DP World) Tour. Going very nicely,” Harrington told bunkered.co.uk.
“It’s an interesting one. He was set to go to the US. He’s young and I think he still would have been better off learning to compete and win more in Europe and take a few starts in the States.
“If he stays focused in Europe for a few years he would become a prolific winner – and that would be nice at that stage. He’s gone to LIV so the question is with the smaller fields, no cut, would he get into contention more? If he gets into contention more it’s a good move.
“If he ends up in the middle of the pack, it’s not a good move, but nor would the PGA Tour have been a good move if he’s finishing 25th – 25th on the PGA Tour or 15th in LIV – you’re going to make double the money on LIV but you’re not learning anything.”
Roganstown starlet Seán Keeling made his men’s championship debut aged just 12 at the North of Ireland Championship in Royal Portrush and at 17 he has gone on to lift four Boys’ majors including the Irish Boys and Scottish Boys Championships.
The teenager has yet to win a men’s title despite the high expectations of him but he has seen final day leads disappear at the Brabazon Championship and Irish Close in the last two seasons.
Harrington though, believes it is no harm for young players to have to wait to win at the higher level, believing that if they can dominate at underage level they will bring those winning habits to the big stage.
“I like building up that confidence, being in contention, learning to win. I would prefer to see a 16-year-old winning the U18 title rather than finishing 10th in the senior title. I know finishing 10th would be great, but I feel there is a habit in winning and chasing winning and putting yourself in that position.”
Harrington played an Irish Open practice round with Keeling last September and he said there was no rush on the teenager breaking through at the top level.
“Obviously Seán is a young lad, only 17, a great ball-striker. Just I think he doesn’t look like he’s outgrown the game at 18 years of age. So he has plenty of time to keep growing and learning as a player. There’s no hurry there,” Harrington said at Royal County Down.
Harrington, for all of his accolades, experienced more than his fair share of Sunday night heartbreak. A couple of US Opens and PGA Championships have gone begging during his career, but in golf, losing is part of winning and he believes that many professionals are afraid of losing.
“We do see that a lot in professional golf that there are players who subconsciously sabotage themselves because they are so uncomfortable with losing. If you want to win you better get used to losing because that’s part of winning, you have to be in there putting yourself out there, having those brutally tough Sunday evenings where you have completely messed it up but realistically that’s the only way to get enough wins,” added on the Cookie Jar Podcast.
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