back to list ]Deutsche Bank Championship Blue Notes -- August
Posted by Eric Baldwin (08/14/2008 08:12PM )Irish Eyes Smiling on Deutsche Bank Championship Birthday Boy Harrington
Padraig Harrington will be a perfect subject of rooting interest for the New England sports fan at the Deutsche Bank Championship. The popular and personable Irishman turns 37 on August 31 (the day of the third round of the upcoming Deutsche Bank Championship), when he may reveal one of his hidden talents – Irish dancing – at a birthday celebration.
He has already began to reveal another hidden talent, one that epitomizes what the Deutsche Bank Championship is all about – the world's best players raising their game in an attempt to win the PGA TOUR Playoffs.
A successful Championship could set up Harrington, last year's European Tour Golfer of the Year, to be the Player of the Year on the PGA and European Tours in 2008. Only former Deutsche Bank Champion Vijay Singh (2004) and Nick Faldo (1990) have accomplished such a feat.
Winless in his first 36 major tournaments, Harrington is riding the wave of a month of pure glory and exultation. His July victory at the British Open made him the 16th player to win golf's oldest championship in consecutive years (the first European to do so since 1906) and the 24th player in golf's history to win two Claret Jugs.
For an encore, Harrington rallied from 26th position entering last weekend at the PGA Championship, proceeded to shoot a pair of personal PGA Championship-low rounds of 66 and became the first European to win consecutive majors, as well as the first European winner at the PGA since 1930.
Conversely, Harrington had never placed top-10 at the PGA in nine previous starts. He is the first European to win consecutive majors and the fourth player to win the British Open and PGA in the same year.
As he did at the British Open, Harrington won the Wanamaker Trophy at Oakland Hills down the stretch. His clutch putt to save par at No. 16 and birdie putt at No. 17 were catalysts in his two-stroke triumph at 3-under-par 277.
At Royal Birkdale, he recorded a 1-under-par 69 on the final day, separating himself from runner-up Ian Poulter with birdies at the 13th and 15th holes before hitting an incredible 5-wood from 249 yards to three feet on the par-5 17th hole that led to an eagle and all but secured his four-shot victory at 3-over 283.
Witnessing that shot makes it all the more amazing to think how the Dubliner almost did not try to defend his 2007 British Open title. Harrington injured his right wrist using an impact bag the weekend before the 2008 Open, limited his practice on Royal Birkdale GC to nine holes and was contemplating a withdrawal the day before the major began.
He may hold the luck of the Irish, but Harrington's prolific shot-making on the grandest stages of golf can't be as easily explained as pure luck.
Harrington's No. 3 Official World Golf Ranking, No. 1 European Order of Merit (money) list ranking, No. 1 PGA TOUR scoring average (69.28), and No. 4 ranking in the FedExCup point standings suggest that Harrington's success is due to more being locked in than lucking out. In 12 TOUR starts this year, Harrington has finished consistently, earning six top-10 and nine top-25 finishes.
After all, Harrington is one of two golfers to beat Tiger Woods in a playoff – at the 2006 Dunlop Phoenix event in Japan. The other is Billy Mayfair, who out-played Woods on the first hole of the playoff for the 1998 Nissan Open.
A member of Europe's last four Ryder Cup teams, Harrington holds five PGA TOUR titles, 14 European Tour wins and 17 globally.
Currently, there is no disputing that Harrington is Europe's best player. He won the Order of Merit in 2006 and has finished top-3 in the Order of Merit in six of his 12 years as a professional.
Harrington is expected to play in his second consecutive Deutsche Bank Championship come Labor Day weekend. He played three of the four PGA TOUR Playoff events in 2007, placing 29th in the final FedExCup standings.
The Deutsche Bank Championship could be another winning stop in the most magical year of Harrington's career. Make no mistake, however: the happy-go-lucky Irishman is making all his own magic, and joyfully reaping its benefits.
MasterCard Cardholders Have Opportunity to Enjoy Deutsche Bank Championship in Style
Looking for a unique way to watch this year's Deutsche Bank Championship? If you're a MasterCard cardholder, you could have VIP spectator experience on the signature 16th hole at the TPC Boston during Championship Week, watching the PGA TOUR's best battle it out.
All MasterCard cardholders who spend $100 using their MasterCard at any of Championship merchandise locations throughout the TPC Boston course will be given two (2) passes that allow single-day entry to the MasterCard Club, a private pavilion area located in the Founders Village adjacent to the 16th and 17th holes.
Inside the Club, fans will have the opportunity to participate in the "Red Sox Experience," a historical photo and memorabilia exhibit of the Boston Red Sox 2007 World Series Championship. At selected times throughout the week, Boston Red Sox legends will be present in the club, as will both the 2007 World Series trophy and the FedExCup, the latter of which is presented to the winner of the PGA TOUR Playoffs. Guests will have the opportunity to meet Red Sox legends and have their photos taken with either trophy and receive a commemorative souvenir photo. Callaway Golf will also offer MasterCard Club guests Odyssey putter demonstrations and club fittings as part of this multi-faceted VIP experience.
The private MasterCard Club also features air conditioning, cash bar service and preferential outdoor seating that allow spectators views of the 16th and 17th holes.
Admission to the area is for pass holders only and is pending capacity. The MasterCard Club is open during Thursday's Championship Pro-Am round on August 28 and each of the four competition rounds, Friday, August 29 through Monday, September 1.
"In developing a partnership with the Deutsche Bank Championship, we wanted to create a unique experiential reward for MasterCard cardholders," said Michael Robichaud, senior vice president, global sponsorships for MasterCard Worldwide. "The MasterCard Club evolves our sponsorship in a way that draws people in and provides an experience not available anywhere else on the golf course."
"We're thrilled to have MasterCard as a Founders Club partner, and the MasterCard Club is a great opportunity to add to the fan experience at this year's Championship," said Deutsche Bank Championship Director Eric Baldwin. "It's great to have companies activate their partnership with the Championship and MasterCard takes that one step further by involving our fans in a unique way."
Stop & Shop/Giant Family Foundation and Nestle donate $250,000
The Deutsche Bank Championship's Birdies for Charity program is picking up steam as the Championship approaches, and recently it was announced that the Stop & Shop/Giant Family Foundation and Nestle have partnered to donate $250,000 to the program.
Nestle will donate five cents for each designated product sold at Stop & Shop Supermarket and Giant Food Stores from August 29 (the first day of competitive play at the Championship) through September 4 to the Stop & Shop/Giant Family Foundation via the Birdies for Charity program.
"Stop & Shop has been a great partner of ours, and we are thrilled to see how this relationship has made such a significant impact on our community through the Birdies for Charity program," Championship Director Eric Baldwin said.
Fans can get involved in the Birdies for Charity program by pledging before or during the Championship. Each time a fan pledges, he or she can guess the total amount of birdies made during the Championship and become eligible to win a grand prize of Red Sox season tickets for 2009. For more information, go to www.dbchampionship.com, and click on "Birdies for Charity" under the "Charity" option.
Blue Notables
Limited tickets still available for Deutsche Bank Championship
While another sellout is expected, limited tickets remain for the Deutsche Bank Championship, the second of four PGA TOUR Playoffs events and New England's favorite Labor Day sporting tradition. Fans can purchase tickets online at www.dbchampionship.com or by calling 877-TIX-4DBC. Last year, Phil Mickelson out-dueled World No. 1 Tiger Woods before a sellout crowd on Monday, and the excitement should be just as high this year. Along with Mickelson, the stellar field is expected to include Masters champion Trevor Immelman, back-to-back British Open winner and PGA Championship winner Padraig Harrington, resurgent stars Kenny Perry and Stewart Cink, rising star Anthony Kim, past Deutsche Bank Championship winners Adam Scott and Vijay Singh, and plenty more of the biggest names in golf.
Volunteer positions still open for DBC
Golf fans looking for a unique experience at the Deutsche Bank Championship can sign up to volunteer at the event. A limited number of positions are still available on the following committees: program sales, Birdies for Charity, fan information, player and spectator experience, marshals and kids zones. Those who are interested can sign up by calling 508-285-8528 or by visiting www.dbchampionship.com and clicking on "Volunteer Blue Crew." Volunteers will be required to work a total of 24 hours during Championship week, and will be free to enjoy the tournament during their non-working hours.
Helpful hints for fans
Fans planning to enjoy the Deutsche Bank Championship from Aug. 26-Sept. 1 can expect to see top-tier golf on a spectacular golf course. They should also remember to keep a few things in mind before coming to the Championship. All spectator parking will be located at the Comcast Center, at the intersection of I-495 and route 140 in Mansfield, Mass. Items that are prohibited at TPC Boston include cell phones, BlackBerries and PDAs, radios, TVs, signs and banners, alcoholic beverages, clipboards or items larger than 8x12 for autographs, coolers, chair bags, bags larger than six inches, and firearms or explosives. Cameras/video cameras are permitted during practice/Pro-Am rounds but are prohibited beginning with Friday's opening round on August 29 through Monday's final round on September 1.
