GOLF - Padraig Harrington Plans To Win More Golf Championships

by infomatique | July 23, 2007 at 01:58 pm

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New Open champion Padraig Harrington is backing himself to win more majors championships after bringing Europe's long wait to an end at Carnoustie on Sunday.

The Irishman's win was the Old Continent's first major success since Paul Lawrie won at the same venue in 1999 and he is hoping it can open the floodgates - for himself and fellow Europeans.

"Phil Mickelson got it right when he answered questions about when he was going to win a major by saying he wanted to win more than one," Harrington told a press conference on Monday.

"I've always had it in my head that I am going to try to do the same. That should help me move on."

Europe had gone eight years and 31 majors without a winner and Harrington added: "I definitely think we have banished the hang-up for the moment. We might get a year before it's mentioned again!

"European players know how my game is in relation to theirs and the fact that I have done it will make a lot of them believe they can do it. I don't think I'm an intimidating force.

"European golf is very strong. This may be the start and if it is I will be telling people I started it."

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Pádraig Harrington (born 31 August 1971) is an Irish professional golfer and current world No. 6 and highest European in the world rankings who has won tournaments on the European Tour and the PGA Tour. He is the holder of the Claret Jug as the winner of the 2007 Open Championship, having defeated Sergio García in a four-hole playoff. In doing so, he became the first European to win a major since Paul Lawrie won the same tournament in 1999, at the same venue (Carnoustie in Angus, Scotland).