Why I prefer Padraig Harrington, a proud Irishman, to Rory McIlroy -- Love to see him flying the Irish tricolor as he leads golf tournament
Posted on Friday, August 24, 2012 at 08:05 AM
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| Harrington at Bethpage on Thursday (Credit: Golf Week) |
It was good to see the Irish flag fly highest at Bethpage Black on Long Island this Thursday as Padraig Harrington led the field with a smashing 7 under par.
With all the confusion and rhetoric about whether Rory McIlroy was Irish or British or whether he wanted to play for one country or the other it was great to see an unabashed Irishman like Harrington, who has won more majors than McIlroy, take the lead.
The little symbol of the green white and orange beside his name is unambiguous. This is an Irishman through and through, clear in what he represents, with no apology to anyone.
When Rory McIlroy plays it is under the flag of Northern Ireland, which is his statement of identity that he is perfectly entitled to make. I just can’t cheer him on with the same fervor as I can Harrington though.
I understand McIlroy has to tread carefully on this issue of identity, but I’m always proudest when I see the tricolor flying--- that is just the way I feel.
McIlroy and Tiger Woods were supposed to be the big clash of this tournament but Harrington for now at least, has stolen the thunder.
On Monday this week Harrington played at the only Irish golf course in the Tri-State area. The Links at Union Vale golf course is situated in the rolling hills of Duchess County, surrounded by the beautiful landscape of the Hudson Highlands and the Catskill Mountains.
It was built and created by Irish men and women and Harrington’s presence was the greatest event since the opening in 2000.
Maybe it was the Irish spirit there that saw Harrington head for Bethpage with the old fire in his gut and outshoot McIlroy, Tiger Woods and everyone else.
Or maybe it was the recent snide comments by Ryder Cup captain Jose Maria Olazabal that Harrington was unlikely to make the team for the seventh consecutive time unless he did something extraordinary.
Well winning the Barclays would certainly do that and I have the feeling that Harrington likes nothing more than a challenge and will give it a right go. Good luck to him. See more: Irish in Golf
37 comments
Buffalobrave | Aug 25, 2012, 07:57 AM EDT
citizen69: Would you be proud of him if he did decide to play for Ireland.? Under the GFA he has a right to choose.
I think not, but if it where to happen, (Rory playing for Ireland )please prove me wrong. I'll wait!
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citizen69 | Aug 25, 2012, 07:39 AM EDT
Why don't you all get over yourselves? Rory McIlroy is from Northern Ireland, not the Republic. The Irish tricolour is NOT the flag of Northern Ireland. Harrington DOES live in the Republic of Ireland and therefore should fly his own flag. When you see McIlroy, McDowell & Darren Clarke playing on TV, the flag beside their names is the Northern Irish flag. I'm very proud of all these guys regardless of religion, religion doesn't come into it. How many times do you need to be told that the Republic of Ireland does not have exclusivity on the word Irish, nor is the tricolour the only Irish flag. QUOTE:"Maybe it was the Irish spirit there that saw Harrington head for Bethpage with the old fire in his gut and outshoot McIlroy"... meaning what? That Rory doesn't have "Irish spirit" because he doesn't fly the flag of the Republic? Typical bigoted anti-unionist nonsense spewed by the so-called "journalists" of Irish Central! You stick to supporting whomever you like. It won't make one bit of difference to the success of Rory McIlroy. We in Northern Ireland are very proud of him.
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Buffalobrave | Aug 25, 2012, 07:31 AM EDT
Because McIlroy lives and plays out of the north, I personally don't think he will have the back bone to play for Ireland.
The orange threat will be to much for him.
I remember Eddie Irvine the retired F1 driver claiming Irish citizenship (even though he was from the north and a protestant) being threatened by the UVF.
Eddie's family was a target also. So no Rory will not play for Ireland, simply because he does not live in a democracy.
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thetint | Aug 25, 2012, 07:28 AM EDT
Rory has clearly decided he is British - his right - so I'm all for Harrington. Rory will find out like George Best before him that when things are going well he is British and when things go bad he is Irish.
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seanomelb | Aug 24, 2012, 05:43 PM EDT
lawyer4 I suppose the stars and stripes is a stripy cloth or are you a petty and narrow minded??
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warrenpoint00 | Aug 24, 2012, 04:15 PM EDT
Not too much confusion here Sean that is if you are a true Irishman, there should be no confusion at all.Most Irish people can allude to the fact that there is no north or south just plain old Ireland while there are others in Ireland that are pro british union and partitionists The compromise that is now the Irish free state and north OF Ireland that exists within our country seems to be that what is confusing you. In the meantime all true nationalists anxiously and paitently await the return of our nation to us.Best of luck to both Irish men Padraic and Rory,of course that is if they pertain to be Irish.
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shuvonn | Aug 24, 2012, 02:50 PM EDT
Lawyer4 I think most people do not see their flag as petty and many have died fighting for their flag. And there are several ways to spell Pádraig and it is a personal choice as to what his parents chose to call him, sort of like Bryan, Brian, I prefer Brian but many like Bryan.
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cillowen | Aug 24, 2012, 02:28 PM EDT
Mcbritishnesslroy loves his danish ways
with the paddies - could be a gandy dance
balance he'll have to really face in 2016.
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pilib04 | Aug 24, 2012, 01:22 PM EDT
"Padraig" Harrington? Since Sean wants to make issues of everything, how about his name? What was wrong with Padraic?
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pilib04 | Aug 24, 2012, 01:20 PM EDT
Rory is a good kid and we both hail from Northern Ireland. We have both met Martin McGuinness and we both love Florida. Can you leave the politics out of sport, please.
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pilib04 | Aug 24, 2012, 01:17 PM EDT
Rory Mcilroy has not made a decision about which flag he will compet under for the 2016 Olympics in Brazil. Normally Rory competes under Northern Ireland, however that choice is unavailable (at this date). His choice at this point is GB or Eire. He has already stated he will delay his decision until the last moment. Given the significance of 2016, I would think that the lad is making the right choice.
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lawyer4 | Aug 24, 2012, 11:46 AM EDT
Isn't it amazing how excited some people get about pieces of stripy cloth? Petty nationalism at its most infantile.
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derrymarch | Aug 24, 2012, 11:07 AM EDT
Hard to blame Rory, a Catholic, for being careful....
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shuvonn | Aug 24, 2012, 10:54 AM EDT
Was it bigotry when the UVF murdered Rory's uncle Joe for moving into a protestant neighborhood?
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