Profile / Bill Elliott / 09 December 2008 / Leave a Comment

Open and USPGA triumphs brought Padraig Harrington the European Golfer of the Year award. Bill Elliott believes the Irishman's golden year can inspire another glorious era for the continent's golfers.

Stand by not to be surprised...And the European Golfer of the Year is, wait for it, wait for it, Ian Poulter! No, of course it isn't the Trouserman, the top man for 2008 is, naturally, Padraig Harrington.

The announcement this morning that The Greatest Living Irishman has scooped yet another award is as predictable as the thought that next year might, on balance, be a bit tough for a few people. It still deserves a serious drumroll as well as some big tots on trumpets though.

Harrington might lack a bit of charisma, might not be the most exciting golfer I've ever seen but he is (a) a genuinely amiable and decent bloke and (b) has over-achieved like mad over the last 18 months. This is down to a committed work ethic, a very decent game and, as always, a wee bit of reasonable fortune when the biggest moments beckoned and the nerve-endings were fraying.

At 37, this son of a golf-mad Dublin policeman is in the prime of his sporting life. Okay, his British Open and USPGA Championship victories were achieved while Tiger was lying on his back somewhere having peeled grapes dropped gently into his mouth but, really, so what? Fact is that Padraig won The Open in 2007 despite Woods' presence at Carnoustie.

No, as ever, a man can only whip whoever is put in front of him, and Harrington's three week magical spell this summer is without precedent for the modern European golf scene. Consider this: The last European player to successfully defend an Open was James Braid in 1906 while the last to win the PSPGA title was Tommy Armour back in 1930 by which time the Scot was an American citizen.

No wonder then that a coterie of younger European golfers are already viewing Padraig as a genuinely inspirational figure. The aforesaid Poulter is on record as saying he now believes that he too can win a major following Harrington's success while Ulster's Graeme McDowell has expressed a similar sentiment.

This is exactly what happened when the blessed Seve Ballesteros lifted the 1979 Open and the following year's Masters. Suddenly a small posse of talented Europeans realised that is he could do it then they could too. As Sandy Lyle admits: "We knew we could beat Seve any week we played together so his breakthrough in the majors convinced the likes of myself, Faldo, Langer and Woosie that it was on for us as well. But we needed him to win first. That was so important."

This is why I now confidently expect a flurry of genuine European contenders at the majors. Meanwhile, Padraig is off to prepare for his own assault on the highest peaks. When he was told this week that a panel of top golfwriters and broadcasters had unanimously voted for him as No.1, he was his typical self.

"When I look at the lost of previous recipients of this award the scale of its prestige comes home to me," he said.

"I'm very proud of my year and to have this caps it all off wonderfully. Now I'm off for some serious gym work and to a few swing changes before the Masters comes around. I know that Augusta will be tough for me because there will be no coming in under the radar for this one."

Asked why he was considering changes to a swing that had served him so well his reply underlines just why this unassuming chap has transmogrified into a real superstar. "The day I think I've got my swing cracked is the day I'll retire," he grinned.

Top man, top golfer, top title and all richly deserved. I wouldn't bet against him making it three majors in a row come next April in Georgia. You read it here first.

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