Padraig Harrington pushed Steve Stricker all the way at the PGA Seniors Championship before eventually missing out on the title to the American. However, his challenge was not without drama when, on the 16th hole of the final round, Harrington’s tee shot headed left of the fairway before striking a spectator on the head.
A concerned Harrington headed over to the fan, who was given treatment from the medical department, to apologise. He joked: “Thank you very much. You got it going in the right direction." The fan replied: “I was trying to get you back closer to the fairway there.” Harrington then signed the fan’s golf glove, admitting: “I don’t think a glove is very much.”
After asking about the whereabouts of the fan’s wife, the specatator told Harrington she was at the clubhouse. At that point, Harrington said: “I’ll buy you dinner,” before reaching into his bag and handing him enough money to do just that.
A kind gesture by Padraig Harrington after striking a fan with his drive on the 16th. 🤝📺: #SrPGAChamp on @NBC and @peacock pic.twitter.com/KHMUioFqEAMay 28, 2023
After his narrow defeat, Harrington explained the gesture. He said: "I bought him a dinner. He nutted my ball back to the fairway. So, yeah, like, you give him a glove, but it never really seems adequate to give a guy a glove. He's a grown man, like what's he want with a glove with my signature? So I thought - he said his wife was inside - but, please take your wife out for dinner on me was the sort of thing. I don't know, I hope I gave him enough for dinner."
The incident happened amid the Irishman’s attempt to secure a second senior Major title at Fields Ranch East in Texas following his 2022 win in the US Seniors Open. In the end, it was not quite to be for the 51-year-old, as Stricker edged him out in a playoff to win his sixth senior Major and second of 2023.
At the same stage in the second round, Harrington made a double bogey after what he described as the “longest pee ever.” Nevertheless, he went into the final round with a one-shot lead before eventually succumbing to Stricker in the playoff.
Harrington’s generosity towards the spectator his ball hit has echoes of an incident involving Cameron Smith last August, who bought a fan an upgraded phone after a wayward tee shot at the FedEx St. Jude Championship at TPC Southwind.
