Triple major winning Padraig Harrington has ruled out next week’s Hero Dubai Desert Classic but with the DP World Tour confirming he will tee-up in next fortnight’s Ras Al Khaimah Championship
This comes after the 52-year-old Harrington revealed he battled the Festive Season fighting a double dose of major medical concerns that included a bout of pneumonia but suffered a collapsed lung.
His illness forced Harrington out of this week’s inaugural Dubai Invitational and now he’s ruled himself out of teeing-up at the Emirates Club.
DOUBLE MEDICAL CONCERN …..
Triple major winning @padraig_h hoping to return @DPWorldTour for #RasAlKhamiah c’ship & this after revealing he’s recovering from puemonia & collapsed lung 😧
Read: https://t.co/fNxhD1lo4q
✅ @TOURMISS pic.twitter.com/qGjuvSVOUk
— Golf & Science News (@TOURMISS) January 11, 2024
The Dubliner last competed along his youngest son, Ciaran early last month in the PNC Championship in Florida but it’s been bed-ridden for Harrington over Christmas.
“I played through the father-and-son with pleurisy as it was at that stage,” he said in speaking to The Mirror.
“I thought it was a bad flu, the doctor then diagnosed it as pneumonia and we treated it as pneumonia.
“What a game I play. I am 52 years of age and I am excited to go and play golf. It is crazy, I probably started playing competitively at 14 years of age and 40 years later I am still excited to go out and play which is a nice place to be.”
While the Tour posted news Harrington would be in the Middle East for the hosting of the January 25th commencing Ras Al Khaimah Championship, Harrington does not sound that confident he will be taking his place teeing-up on the Al Hamra course.
“I still have a bit of a collapsed lung, fluid in the lung, scarring and whatever goes with those things,” Harrington said also to the Mirror.
“I am starting to feel fine. I pulled out this week [Dubai Invitational] because of that, and my intention is to go to Dubai for the Desert Classic and Rak [Ras Al Khaimah Championship], more because of the sunshine which will be good for my final part of recovery.
“I am excited about my golf. I haven’t been out hitting shots, barring some wedges in my garden and shots indoors. In some ways it isn’t a bad thing, I have had a bit of a break away from the game which is nice, I feel excited and keen to get out there and play.”
