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Harrington reflects on momentous feat

30/10/2006

Padraig Harrington admits he is still coming to terms with winning this season's Order of Merit following the rollercoaster conclusion to yesterday's Volvo Masters at Valderrama.

The 35-year-old Irishman claimed the honour on the final hole of the season after a bogey from Sergio Garcia allowed him to pip Paul Casey to the line by just £23,616.

Speaking afterwards, Harrington admitted he had never imagined he would achieve the feat when he started playing.

"When I started off ten years ago, I thought I would be happy to be a journeyman pro," he said. "If I'm finishing 75th every year I would have said I would be very successful and most people would have said that, too.

"So I have come ever so far to have won the Order of Merit. This has been a big goal of mine down the years, I've come a long way and I'm now very proud."

The Ryder Cup hero won just one event on the European Tour this season, that being the lucrative Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, held at the Old Course St Andrews, Carnoustie and Kingsbarns, at the start of October.

He admits that this victory is among the greatest of his career and he is determined to build on it and permanently remove his reputation as a perennial runner-up.

"Hopefully I will carry the flag of European number one well for a year," he added. "And who knows, maybe I can come back next year better and stronger and win it again."

David Howell, a long-time leader of the Order, admitted he was pleased for Harrington but also devastated after losing out.

"I'm bitterly disappointed but it was a fun day," he said, "It's been a great week but not to have won after being number one for so long is a big blow.

"Padraig deserves his win. I've played quite well this year and I was in a great frame of mind. I'm pleased with where I was mentally. Unfortunately, the miracle didn't happen."

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