Padraig Harrington Named Ryder Cup Vice Captain

Three-time Major Championship winner Padraig Harrington was named a Ryder Cup Vice Captain by Thomas Bjorn, captain of the European Team for the upcoming Ryder Cup at Le Golf National. Bjorn announced four additional Vice Captains on May 22 - Harrington, Lee Westwood, Luke Donald and Graeme McDowell. Robert Karlsson was previous named a Vice Captain.

Harrington will be right here in the Met Area this June when he will be honored with the Gold Tee Award - one of golf's most prestigious honors -  from the Metropolitan Golf Writers Association at their National Awards Dinner on June 18 at the Westchester Marriott in Tarrytown, N.Y.. The Gold Tee Award is the highest honor bestowed by the MGWA.

The award is presented to an individual whose career achievements exemplify the best spirit and traditions of the sport of golf. The Gold Tee has been awarded to such luminaries as Bobby Jones, Ben Hogan, Sam Snead, Byron Nelson, Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player, Billy Casper, Nancy Lopez, Tom Watson, Phil Mickelson and Annika Sorenstam. More recently, Paul Azinger (2013), Fred Couples (2014), Nick Price (2015), Davis Love III (2016) and Mark O’Meara (2017) have all been honored with this esteemed award.

Harrington has played on six Ryder Cup teams since 1999. He last competed in the 2010 Ryder Cup and has been a Vice captain in the last three Ryder Cups.

Prior to turning pro in 1995, Harrington had a successful amateur career, and competed in the inaugural Hugh L. Carey Challenge Cup between the Golfing Union of Ireland the MGA in 1990 at Metedeconk National Golf Club.

Harrington has won three Majors (2007 and 2008 British Open and 2008 PGA Championship), has 20 international victories and won six times on the PGA TOUR. He has represented Europe in the World Cup, Dunhill Cup, Seve Cup, Target World Challenge and his home country of Ireland at the 2016 Summer Olympics. In addition to his achievements on the course, Harrington has established the Padraig Harrington Charitable Foundation, which provides financial assistance to beneficiaries across Ireland and the world. He is also a Global Ambassador of the Special Olympics and raises funds and awareness to fight esophageal cancer through Lollipop Day. (www.lollipopday.ie)

“We are delighted to honor Padraig with our Gold Tee Award,” said MGWA President Bruce Beck. “He embodies everything that is right about the game of golf—humility, respect and class. What a privilege to present him the MGWA's most important award.”

This is the first Ryder Cup being played in France. The matches will take place September 28-30 at Le Golf National, just outside of Paris.

For more information on the Metropolitan Golf Writers and the National Awards Dinner, visit www.metgolfwriters.org.