Monday golf is usually trouble for PGA Tour professionals. There are the issues of extending living arraignmentws to stay an extra night, it disrupts travel plans and eliminates valuable practice time for the next tournament.Somehow I believe that Padraig Harrington will have no complaints about playing Monday golf after capturing the title at the rain delayed Honda Classic, at Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.
The victory was Harrington’s first tour win in 6 years, a period of time that saw his ranking drop below 300 . Playing on a sponsors exemption, Harrington carded a final round 70 to join former Florida State star Daniel Berger in a sudden death playoff.At age 21, Berger shot a final round 64 and was seeking to become the youngest winner of the Honda Classic. Instead it was Harrington, at age 43,winning the second playoff hole on the way to becoming the oldest Honda Classic winner.
The Irishman moved from 208 to 21 in the FedEx standings, collected a check with $1,098,000, plus a Masters Invitation. Harrington missed the Masters last year after playing at the Augusta National Golf Club 14 years in a row, posting 4 top 10 finishes that include a pair of 5th place finishes in 2002 and 2008.
When asked if he was thinking about all that his most recent win meant the two-time British Open Champion replied , ” I just to enjoy winning the Honda Classic right now.” ” In 2008 and 2009 I’m in the penthouse and wasn’t in the doghouse but was real close.”
The trip back to Augusta will be a sentimental journey for Padraig Harrington who’s play showed flashes of the harrington of old. The question now, at age 43 , was the Honda Classic the Irishman’s return to being a weekly threat or an Auld Lang Syne.