Golfer Padraig Harrington Joins Special Olympics

May 27, 2010

 

Harrington to Advise Sports Resource Team & Support Key Golf Related Initiatives to Drive Growth of Sport across Worldwide Movement

Wentworth – 20 May, 2010 – Special Olympics Great Britain (SOGB)  is pleased to announce that golfer Padraig Harrington has joined the Special Olympics family as the movement’s newest Global Ambassador. The announcement was made 2 weeks ago during a press event for the Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass in Florida, USA. 

Harrington, playing for the first time at Wentworth in 3 years, was pleased to lead a clinic today during the BMW PGA Championships of the European Tour, sharing golfing tips with Special Olympics Great Britain learning disabled golfers from the Surrey area: Georgina Harris, 17; Karen Oosthuizen, 19; Alan Booth, 19; Hilary Thomas, 43 and Scott Hastings, 18 years old.  Harrington presented each golfer with their own personal putter and signed them!

In his new role as a Global Ambassador for Golf, three-time major winner Harrington will build on his worldwide profile to help spread the Special Olympics’ message of acceptance and inclusion for people with learning disabilities across the world.

"I am thrilled to be invited to become the Special Olympics' Ambassador for Golf” said Padraig Harrington.  “I believe that the game of golf can inspire Special Olympics athletes to reach for their goals and enjoy the benefits the game brings. I look forward to playing an active part in the exciting times ahead."

Harrington will specifically serve as an advisor to the Special Olympics International Sports Resource Team on golf, offering his professional expertise to help further the sport of golf within the movement. He will also take an active role on the golf range, and participate in special golf training sessions with athletes and coaches around the world.  In addition to sharing his golfing knowledge, he will front a recruitment campaign targeted towards securing more Special Olympics’ golf coaches. Overall, Special Olympics will partner with Harrington to implement golf programs and initiatives that will further spread respect for people with learning disabilities to an international audience.

According to Special Olympics Great Britain CEO, Karen Wallin, “It’s a thrill to have someone of Padraig’s caliber be part of the Special Olympics movement.  In Great Britain our golf programme is constantly evolving with ongoing relationships with The R&A, European Tour, and Tri-Golf with the Golf Foundation.  Each year we host the Triple Crown Tournament and Tri-Golf festivals and our athletes travel to countries ranging from Denmark to Taiwan to compete with other Special Olympics golf programmes.  Golf may not be an Olympic sport until 2012, but it has been a Special Olympics sport for over 10 years!”

Harrington joins a select group of athletes and celebrities who are dedicated to spreading the Special Olympics movement and message worldwide.  These include England Football goalie David James, Lawrie McMenemy MBE, football legend Ossie Ardiles, former NBA All-Star John Amaechi, Chinese basketballer Yao Ming, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, boxing legend Muhammad Ali and others.

Padraig Harrington, became the first European player to win back-to-back Major Championships when he added the 2008 USPGA Championship to the 2008 Open Championship crown, having been the first Irishman to win a Major in 60 years at the 2007 Open Championship.  In addition, Harrington has been a member of Europe’s Ryder Cup team five times, won the 2006 European Tour Order of Merit, was the first Irish winner of the Irish Open for 25 years and has a total of 25 tournament titles worldwide. He has established the Padraig Harrington Charitable Foundation to provide funds to deserving beneficiaries throughout Ireland and the world.

One of five brothers, Harrington is from a close-knit family and is a family man himself, being married with two young boys. He believes that he can use the game of golf to inspire and motivate through his work as an ambassador for Special Olympics.

SOS with Golfer