Victory is a warm-up for this week’s quest for British Open three-peat
CHICAGO, July 14, 2009 – Wilson Staff Advisory Member Padraig Harrington earned a seven-shot victory over European PGA player and former British Amateur champion Brian McElhinney to capture the Landbrokes.com Irish PGA title at the European Club in Brittas Bay over the weekend. It is Harrington’s third consecutive Irish PGA win and his sixth overall, providing him momentum going into this week’s defense of the British Open title at Turnberry, Scotland.
The win provided a much needed confidence boost at an event that has proven a stepping stone for him in the past. Harrington has consistently chosen to play the Irish PGA as a build-up the British Open, a strategy that has served him well the last two years when he has won at the Irish PGA and gone on to win the British Open. Brittas Bay is a links course, which is what he will face at Turnberry. Harrington is trying to become the first player to win three straight British Open titles since Peter Thomson accomplished the feat in 1954,’55 and ’56.
As has been the case for him in previous wins, Harrington overcame inclement weather, including rain and wind, to finish with a tournament total of one-under-283. The win makes him the first person to win a third consecutive title at the tournament since 1962 when Christy O’Connor, Sr., won his fourth of what would be 10 titles at the Irish PGA .
“We are happy to see Padraig at the top of his game,” said Tim Clarke, general manager, Wilson Golf. “He is one of those players who is an absolute perfectionist about his play, his equipment and everything to do with his game. So to see him put all of those elements into place at a critical time as this, just before his defense of the British Open title, is very exciting and we’re pulling for him to keep the momentum going.”
“Winning is a habit, there’s no doubt about that,” Harrington said following his win. “The magnitude of the tournament is not as great as next week but winning is a habit and it’s always good to be in winning form.”
Harrington, a Wilson Staff professional since 1998, is instrumental in the development of the new Wilson Staff irons, driver and wedges. For information on these or any other Wilson Golf equipment, please log onto www.wilsonstaff.com.
About Wilson Golf
Since 1914, Wilson Golf has designed, manufactured and distributed premium and recreational golf equipment throughout the world. Wilson Golf irons have won 63 Major championships, more than any other iron manufacturer in history. Wilson Staff’s Di9 iron and the Wilson Staff Smooth driver were honored with Golf Digest “Hot List” awards in 2009.The Wilson Staff, Profile, ProStaff, and Hope consumer brands continue that tradition today by delivering the highest quality golf equipment to all golfers to enhance performance on the golf course and overall enjoyment of the game.
Wilson Golf is a division of Chicago-based Wilson Sporting Goods, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of sports equipment by Amer Sports. Consumers can log onto www.wilsonstaff.com or call 773.714.6400 for more information.
Editor’s note
Press materials, including Wilson Staff logos or high-resolution images of Padraig Harrington, the FYbrid utility irons, Tw9 wedges and Wilson Staff premium golf equipment, are available upon request.
Contact:
B.R. Koehnemann
847.291.6740, br.koehnemann@kemperlesnik.com
Lisa Gunggoll
847.850.2478, lisa.gunggoll@kemperlesnik.com
