Padraig Harrington captured his first Claret Jug in the most dramatic of fashion after a battle with Sergio Garcia on the notoriously difficult Carnoustie Golf Links. A play-off was needed to separate the two golfers.
Padraig Harrington played the shot of his career on the 17th hole at Royal Birkdale in 2008. It gave him the greatest walk in golf up the 18th knowing he was about to defend his title of Champion Golfer of the Year
No European had won back-to-back Open Championships since James Braid in 1905-06 when Harrington achieved the feat with victories at Carnoustie and Royal Birkdale.
The first came after a play-off with Sergio Garcia in 2007 and he then beat Ian Poulter by four after fearing that injury might keep him out of his Claret Jug defence. Only three weeks later the Dubliner ended a 78-year European drought in the PGA Championship, with Garcia second again.
Winner of the World Cup for Ireland with Paul McGinley in 1997, he made the first of six Ryder Cup appearances two years later and was an assistant captain to Darren Clarke in 2016 and Thomas Bjorn in September 2018.
His career also includes four wins in America, the last of them at the Honda Classic in March 2015 ending a six-year drought there during which he had slumped from third to 385th on the world rankings.
Led the European Tour money list in 2006 and has finished in the top three on seven occasions, his victories including the Irish Open in 2007 when he became the first home winner for 25 years.
Ended eight years without a title in Europe at the 2016 Portugal Masters.