Irish Golf Desk

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Can Padraig end six and a half year PGA Tour drought?

LIKE OLD TIMES. PÁDRAIG HARRINGTON CELEBRATES in indonesia PICTURE: KHALID REDZA / ASIAN TOUR 

It seems like only yesterday that Pádraig Harrington was fist pumping like a wild-eyed madman on the 18th green at Oakland Hills. Denying Sergio Garcia yet another major down the stretch. in the 2008 US PGA remains the most recent of Harrington's five PGA Tour wins but following his victory in the Asian Tour's BANK BRI Indonesia Open in his final start of 2014, hopes are high that Harrington can return to winning ways.

He'll certainly be hoping for better form when he resumes the 2014-15 PGA Tour campaign in Arizona this week when he joins Tiger Woods et al in the Waste Management Phoenix Open. He needs to win between now and April to earn a return ticket to the Masters for starters and with the 2016 Olympic Games also on his radar, he needs to get back into the Top 15 in the world to be sure of a ticket for Rio.

Can he do it? Click all the answers you think apply. 

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It would be foolish to write him off. Okay, the Dubliner played four US events late in the year on the PGA Tour in 2014 with two missed cuts and two finishes near the back of the field. But he's confident that he's over the yips and having added some speed to his game over the 49 day winter break. he's looking forward to a great year.

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Coming at the age of 43, his win in Indonesia meant he joined the greats of Irish golf who won big international events in their 40s.

  • Des Smyth - 48 years and 34 days in Madeira in 2001 
  • Christy O'Connor - 46 when he won the 1970 John Player Classic 
  • Pádraig Harrington - 43 when he won the 2014 BANK BRI Indonesia Open
  • Darren Clarke - 42 when he won the 2011 Open
  • Harry Bradshaw - 41 when he won the 1955 Dunlop Masters and 44 for his 1955 PGA win
  • Fred Daly - 40 when he won the Daks and the PGA Matchplay in 1952