Versailles, France …. Padraig Harrington delivered a positive and patriotic message to any of his doubting pro golfing colleagues confirming he’s taking his wife and family to spend a full fortnight at the Rio Olympics.
Harrington has only to wait 11 days to get his Olympic wish when his place in the Ireland men’s golf team is confirmed on Monday July 11th.
It will be the culmination of a dream for the now 44-year old ever since golf was confirmed would be returning to the Summer Olympics after an absence of 112-years.
And while Harrington will be competing the PGA Tour’s Traveller’s Championship in Connecticut when the Games get under way on August 5th he and his family will be in Rio from August 8th and right up to the closing ceremony on August 21st.
Padraig Harrington reveals he will be taking his family to Rio to see as many events as they can. (Photo – www.golfbytourmiss.com)
“I have always played the Traveller’s and I am committed this year to the Traveller’s so I wouldn’t let them down but myself, Caroline and the family will be in Rio for two weeks,” he said after posting a two over par 73 on day one of the 100th French Open.
“We have our accommodation booked with the first week being the men’s golf and the second week we are going to go to as many Olympic events as we possibly can.
“The Olympics is a big thing in our family and I’ve always dreamt, well not of being an Olympic athlete, but always admiring Olympians.
“This is a great opportunity for me but then it’s the Olympics has always been a big deal in Ireland.
Tour Miss listening to Padraig Harrington reveal he will be spending a fortnight in Rio watching the 2016 Olympics
“I remember vividly Michael Carruth winning a boxing gold medal in 1992 in Barcelona.
“Then there’s Ronnie Delaney who won the 1500 metres in Melbourne in 1956 who is now one of the proud elder statesmen of sport in Ireland.
“There is a number of Ireland Olympic legends you grow up admiring and I would have met at various award ceremonies I attended as a young kid and these were the people to look up to
“Certainly in the modern era Ireland has won a few more gold medals but certainly I grew up in an era where the likes of Ronnie Delaney, Hugh Russell and Eamon Coughlan were just huge personalities in Irish sport.
Padraig Harrington sends out a positive message to those golfers still undecided in competing in Rio. (Photo – www.golfbytourmiss.com)
“So when you come from a small country like Ireland, the Olympics is a huge deal.”
Harrington’s opening round in Versailles was a mix of four birdies and three double bogeys
