Harrington - Hurrion Interview (Fairways of Life)

August 17th, 2008 | Padraig Harrington

This is a recording of the interview set up with Dr Paul Hurrion for host Matt Adams which was aired on the PGA Tour Network Radio on August 16 and now sits on Matt’s own website, www.FairwaysofLife.com  The ’Fairways of Life’ radio show broadcasts every Saturday and Sunday, one hour before the LIVE coverage of the PGA Tour on the PGA Tour Network XM 146!

The Fairways of Life Show is a celebration of all-things golf! From luxury golf travel, the latest gear and equipment, the game’s great history, to it’s most compelling personalities, like Arnold Palmer, Gary Player and Greg Norman, among others. The Fairways of Life Show understands that golf is more than just a game!

http://www.fairwaysoflife.com/media.asp  Harrington - Hurrion Interview  16th August 2008

The interview is by New York Times Best-selling author Matthew E. “Matt” Adams who has sold over 1,000,000 books, making him one of the most successful authors of the last five years. Matt Adams is an international golf media personality, appearing regularly on the Golf Channel, where he fills the role of both reporter and columnist, and he is the host of the Fairways of Life Show on the PGA Tour Network, which is beamed around the world via satellite.

___________________________________________

The following interview can also be found in written form on www.golf.com in which Gary Van Sickle (Senior Writer, Sports Illustrated Magazine)

Gary Van Sickle, a senior writer for Sports Illustrated, joined the staff in 1996 and covers golf for the magazine and its Golf Plus section. He was a sportswriter and columnist at The Milwaukee Journal for 13 years, covering a variety of sports. Van Sickle was born in Midland, Mich., graduated from the University of Wisconsin (Madison) with a journalism degree and currently resides in Wexford, Pa., just outside Pittsburgh. He’s a scratch handicap (more or less, depending upon the size of the bet), and advanced through local U.S. Open qualifying in 1996 and played in sectional qualifying with Tour players Larry Mize and Tom Purtzer, just missing a spot in the Open by a scant 17 shots.

Team Harrington fills vital support roles for golf hero

August 12th, 2008 | Padraig Harrington

Padraig Harrington is now on Tiger’s tail and that’s because of the appliance of science.

In 12 years as a Tour pro, Harrington has shown an insatiable desire to improve year on year. Every time he decided something was lacking, Harrington sought out a specialist in that area and then his renowned work ethic kicked in.

Now, thanks to his team of experts, he displays physical, mental and technical skills that mean the sky is the limit for his golfing future.

So who are the members of Team Harrington, and what part did they play in his stunning victories in the Open and the US PGA Championships?

Bob Torrance: The coach Torrance, now 75, has overseen the development of his player’s technique to the point where Harrington is now the biggest rival to Tiger Woods’ golfing supremacy. Torrance loves golfers who are prepared to work long hours to chase perfection, and in Harrington he found a soulmate.

“You’ll never achieve perfection, but you’ve got to keep trying to get it,” says Torrance.

They have been together since 1997.

Ronan Flood: Already a good friend and a scratch golfer before he took on the job of carrying the bag in 2004, Flood is now Harrington’s brother-in-law, and has played a key role in helping the player maintain his equilibrium in the white heat of Carnoustie, Royal Birkdale, and Oakland Hills.

Dr Bob Rotella: An internationally-renowned Sports Psychologist whose brand of mind mastery in relation to golf developed Harrington’s already formidable mental prowess from 2002 onwards.

Dr Paul Hurrion: A leading international Biomechanist, he has specialised in developing research and analysis of putting. He uses hi-tech cameras and computer software to assist golfers in learning the ultimate techniques in relation to putting.

Dr Liam Hennessy: An expert in Sports Physiology. Apart from the years of developing the blend of strength, stamina and suppleness in Harrington’s body, he has designed programmes to guard against injury and optimise the player’s food and drink intake on and off the course. He paid his way big time at Oakland Hills when he spotted that Harrington wasn’t taking enough fluids on board during the first two rounds. Once the hydration problem was sorted out, Harrington’s focus improved dramatically.

Adrian Mitchell: Has been Harrington’s manager since the golfer signed to the International Management Group in 1995. Business has been good for both parties as Harrington’s earnings soar in excess of €30m.

Dr Dale Richardson: A doctor of chiropractic medicine, Richardson was crucial to keeping Harrington going despite a neck disc problem at Carnoustie and a wrist injury at Birkdale.

Family: Wife Caroline has been invaluable to Padraig’s success, and sons Paddy and Ciaran are a great source of delight to the Champion. His mother Breda and the other members of the Harrington, Gregan and Flood clans are an integral element of Harrington’s support base.

http://www.independent.ie/sport/golf/

Padraig crowned USPGA Champion!

August 11th, 2008 | Padraig Harrington

Ireland’s Padraig Harrington has clinched his second major title in the space of three weeks after storming to victory at the USPGA Championship last night - his third in 13 months!

The Dubliner carded a four-under-par final-round 66 at Oakland Hills in Detroit to secure a two-shot victory over Spain’s Sergio Garcia and American Ben Curtis. He sealed the win with a 15-foot putt on the final hole. Harrington is first European to win the championship since 1930.

One good Sunday delivered as Padraig shoots consecutive 66’s to deliver his third Major in thirteen months and in the process break all sorts of records for a European Tour player.

Padraig is the first European to win back to back Majors, the fourth person in history to win the Open and USPGA titles in one season and the first European to win the USPGA Championship since Tommy Armour in 1930.

A sparkling mornings work where he was up at the crack of dawn to complete his weather interrupted third round included four birdies in a row from the 13th to leave himself at one over par for the tournament and only three behind going into the afternoons final round. The golfing Gods decreed that he would play with an old sparring partner as Sergio Garcia and Charlie Wi made up the second last three ball of the day.

The Spanish prodigy threw the proverbial kitchen sink at Padraig as he opened up a three shot lead over Padraig going into the back nine but this is now Padraigs playground and he knew that if he hung around long enough he would get a chance to wrest the title from the would be pretenders to Major glory. A stunning 32 shots later ending with a 15 foot putt for the title on the 18th green broke all hearts.

The famed Claret Jug now has the Wannamaker trophy for company on Padraigs kitchen table…

Congratulations Padraig from all at Quintic…

Padraig Harrington wins the 137th Open Championship!

July 24th, 2008 | Full Swing Biomechanics, Padraig Harrington, Putting Biomechanics

Padraig defends his Open Championship in style with a fine final round of one under par 69 to give him a four shot victory. He joins an exclusive club of multiple major winners, is the first European to defend his title in 102 years and is now ranked at number 3 in the world….

Six opening pars gave Padraig the start he needed in the last round of the Open and he never really looked back after that. Bogies on the 7th 8th and 9th gave him some work to do but he finished in style with birdies on the 13th and 15th before the shot of the day at the par five 17th where he hit his second shot close to make an eagle three and give himself a four shot lead down the last. Speaking afterwards he said it was very satisfying to be out in the last group in a major and to perform under pressure. He leaps to number three in the world rankings and is number one on the Ryder Cup team going to Valhalla in September…

Congratulations Padraig from all at Quintic.

With this win Padraig Harrington secured his 13th European Tour International Schedule victory in his 275th European Tour event. It was his second Major Championship victory in his 41st Major Championship appearance.

*His second Open Championship victory following his triumph in 2007. His second win came in his 12th Open Championship appearance.
*First player to successfully defend The Open Championship since Tiger Woods in 2005-2006.
*Becomes the 16th player to successfully defend The Open Championship title.
*Becomes the first European to successfully defend The Open Championship since James Braid in 1905-1906.
*Becomes the 26th different player to record multiple victories in The Open Championship.
*Becomes only the second European Tour Member to successfully defend a Major Championship, following Nick Faldo at the 1989-1990 Masters Tournament.
*Becomes the 31st different player to successfully defend a Major Championship.
*Becomes the first player to successfully defend a European Tour title since Tiger Woods at the 2006-07 US PGA Championship.
*First time he has successfully defended a European Tour title in his career.
*The 51st occasion a European Tour event has been successfully defended.
*The 28th different player in European Tour history to successfully defend a title.
*The third Irish victory in a Major Championship, following his win in 2007 and Fred Daly in the 1947 Open Championship.
*His fourth top ten finish in The Open Championship from his 12 appearances – and 11th overall top ten from his Major Championship career.
*His victory becomes the 34th Major Championship victory since 1979 by a European Tour Member.
*Becomes the ninth different European Tour Member to win a Major Championship since 1979.
*The sixth Irish victory of The 2008 European Tour International Schedule. The most in a single European Tour season, beating the five of 1989. They are: Graeme McDowell (Ballantine’s Championship and The Barclays Scottish Open), Damien McGrane (Volvo China Open), Darren Clarke (BMW Asian Open), Peter Lawrie Open de España) and Padraig Harrington (The 137th Open Championship).
*Moves to fourth in the European Tour Order of Merit with €1,438,076 from 29th.
*Moves to the top of The Ryder Cup World Points List with 238.64
*Second victory of 2008 following the Ladbrokes Irish PGA Championship last week.
*Third consecutive European Tour season with a victory.
*Moves to a career-high of third in the Official World Golf Ranking.
*Gains a five year exemption into The Masters Tournament, the US Open Championship and USPGA Championship.
*Gains a place in the 2008 PGA Grand Slam of Golf
*Gains a place in the 2008 WGC – Bridgestone Invitational
*Gains a place in the 2009 HSBC Champions
*Extends his European Tour exemption until the end of 2018.
*Moves over €18 million in European Tour Official Career Earnings – just the fourth player to achieve the feat
*The 44th Irish victory on The European Tour.
*Third top ten finish of the 2008 season and 95th of his European Tour career
*His 23rd win as a professional.

HI-TEC Powers Padraig to Major victory AGAIN!

July 23rd, 2008 | Full Swing Biomechanics, Padraig Harrington

“It’s no coincidence that I was wearing the world’s best golf shoes in winning back-to-back Open Championships. In some of the most testing conditions ever, HI-TEC’s CDT technology gave me amazing balance and stability“.

Padraig Harrington Open Champion 2007 & 2008

Harrington pays tribute to Torrance the ‘genius’

July 22nd, 2008 | Padraig Harrington

Padraig Harrington, the two-time Open champion, yesterday hailed Bob Torrance, his swing coach, as “a genius” and the best teacher of the game to be found anywhere in the world of golf.

Ten years after the men first met on the range at Loch Lomond, the partnership between the tireless Irishman and the shrewd Scot has helped to mould the first European golfer to win more than one major title since Jose Maria Olazabal. Long renowned in his amateur days as an outstanding chipper and putter, Harrington was smart enough to work out after turning pro that he needed to overhaul his swing if he wanted to improve.

In perhaps the most successful swing re-design on this side of the Atlantic since Nick Faldo had his action taken apart by David Leadbetter, Harrington paid tribute to the 75-year-old Scot for turning him into one of the game’s best ball strikers of the past decade.
“Bob is the best swing coach in the world,” Harrington, 36, insisted at Birkdale the morning after he’d become the first European player in 102 years to successfully defend the Open title.

“You can see his genius in the way he can analyse any swing. He’s spent his whole life examining the golf swing and his knowledge of cause and effect is just incredible.”

Harrington also works with Dr Paul Hurrion, the biomechanics expert, who confirmed that everything Torrance sees naturally “with his own eye and his genius” is backed up by computer analysis and scientific evidence.

By Mike Aitken
http://www.scottishgolfview.com/2008/07/harrington-pays-tribute-to-torrance.html

GEL Golf Appoints European Tour Rep

July 16th, 2008 | GEL Golf, Quintic Video Software

GEL (Groove Equipment Ltd) Golf has appointed Duncan Bagshaw as its European Tour representative to ensure that its GEL Putters are available for playing professionals to test on Tour week on week.

Prior to taking up his role at GEL, Bagshaw spent a week with renown putting coach and sports biomechanist Dr Paul Hurrion, who designed and launched the GEL Paul Hurrion Signature Range in conjunction with GEL Golf earlier this year at the PGA Golf Show in Orlando and, more recently, at the London Golf Show in April 2008. Quintic software along with Quintic Ball Roll analysis software is key in demonstrating the effect of the putters on the ball roll. The Quintic software is available on the putting green for the golfers to try the putters… seeing is beliving!

“I am delighted with my appointment as GEL’s representative on the European Tour and look forward to introducing the Tour pros to the GEL putter, which I believe is the best putter on the market; it performs well and looks great to boot,” said Bagshaw, who once boasted a handicap of +1.

“The innovative groove and insert technology GEL uses in its putters ensures instant forward roll on the golf ball, reducing the unwelcome effects of skidding and giving a truer roll to putts, whilst the substantial aluminium insert increases the size of the sweet spot and enhances feel.”

The appointment of Bagshaw means that GEL Golf now has representation on the European, Canadian, Asian, Japanese and China Tours.

Back in September 2007, GEL appointed Caesar Bayliss as a full-time representative on the Asian Tour, which very soon produced results; American Bryan Saltus won the Johnnie Walker Cambodian Open in December having exchanged his regular putter for a GEL Putter. GEL is now the number three putter brand on the Asian Tour.

In May this year, GEL celebrated its second tour win when Taiwan’s Hsu Mong-nam claimed victory at the Omega China Tour’s Shanghai Championship. The very same week, GEL became the top putter brand on the China Tour.

“At the European Open, my first event as the GEL European Tour representative, we received a great deal of interest from numerous pros and one player actually used our putter during the tournament – a great start as far as I am concerned,” enthused Bagshaw.

“I am confident that we can match the success the brand has experienced on the Asian and China Tours, and I am already looking forward to a GEL Putter securing our first European Tour title.”

Bagshaw has always been involved with golf and first picked up a golf club at the tender age of three. He went on to captain the Golf Team at Sheffield Hallam University where he studied Sports Science, later completing a work placement in the golf operations department at Gleneagles.

www.GELGolf.com or www.GELGolf.co.uk

Duncan Bagshaw and Dr Paul Hurrion - Royal Birkdale

George Cummins sinking 21 putts in a row - London Golf Show 2008

July 13th, 2008 | GEL Golf, Putting Biomechanics

Dear Gel Golf

I recently won the putting competion at the London Golf Show sinking the 21 putts. I had my lesson with Paul Hurrion and I really enjoyed it and have learnt a lot of new tips and techniques. He said that you wanted to know how my game has improved with the putter for the website.

Over my first three rounds with the putter I have improved amazingly on the greens. On my first round I had 33 putts, on the second 30, and on the third 27. I have never felt more confident on the greens with this putter and nearly everything from within 8 feet seems to drop. I am even sinking putts from over 30 feet. I feel that putting is the most important part of your game, so a good putter is essential. In my opinion, this putter is fantastic! I know that my handicap is going to drop in the coming months thanks to my new Gel putter.

Thankyou for the experience, I absolutely love the putter!

George Cummins

George Cummins and Dr Paul Hurrion

Putting guru helps Lornie establish first round lead

July 4th, 2008 | Biomechanics Consultancy, Putting Biomechanics

Having taken the big decision to play golf full-time only last month, Graeme Lornie showed his potential with a four-under-par 69 in his first round over the PGA Centenary Course to lead the £55,000 Gleneagles Scottish Championship by two shots.

“If I don’t try now I never will,” said Lornie, who believes that at the age of 28 time is already running out on his efforts to be as good as he can be. The £8800 top prize on Sunday in the Tartan Tour’s flagship event would go a long way to vindicating his decision.

He was a greenkeeper for 10 years at Royal Aberdeen and Newmachar and a leading amateur in the north-east before turning professional three years ago and working at a golf range before taking on an attachment with the Kings Links Golf Centre in Aberdeen.

With the rough up, keeping the ball on the fairway was paramount on a day when the average score was approaching 80. Lornie spoiled an eagle 3 at the second with four bogeys in his next five holes but made his score with an inward five-under-par 32 and credited a coaching session with Birmingham-based Paul Hurrion.

Hurrion, a biomechanic who specialises in putting, also coaches Open champion Padraig Harrington and fellow Irish Ryder Cup player Paul McGinley. “He improved my posture and my form on the greens is like night and day,” said Lornie, No.2 on the young professionals’ order of merit for the last two years.

His Kings Links stablemate Scott Henderson, a former European Tour rookie of the year, said Lornie was a real prospect, but warned he must be careful to avoid becoming bogged down in technicalities.

On a sunny day of light winds which strengthened throughout the day, Henderson was one of the few later starters to break par. He lost a ball at the eighth, but a three-wood to four feet at the last set up an eagle 3 and a round of 72.

Four players were in joint second place on 71: Craig Lee, Paul McKechnie, Nigel Scott-Smith and Eddie Thomson.

Lee, a European Tour rookie, is No.228 on the money list with just over £20,000 and he estimates his expenses at more than double that. He is looking for a good week to fund the remainder of his campaign and an eagle at the last helped him on his way.

“I have five or six events left and I still believe I can do it,” he said, “but it would be frustrating if I couldn’t play because I don’t have enough money.”

McKechnie is playing the Tartan Tour after four seasons on the Challenge Tour but the dream is still alive and has been taking coaching from Alan White at Lanark to help build towards qualifying school at the end of the season.

For Scott-Smith, a one-time aspiring tour player who now runs the Palacerigg Golf Centre, it was a performance reminiscent of his full-time days in the 1990s, and he made his score with birdies at each of the five par-5s.

Thomson, another who had an eagle 3 at the last by chipping in, kept out of the thick rough all day, and after missing the cut in three Challenge Tour events played yesterday with words of wisdom from coach Bob Torrance ringing in his ears: “Keep believing.”

http://www.theherald.co.uk/sport

DOUGLAS LOWE, Golf Correspondent

Rory looks for help

June 24th, 2008 | PGA European Tour Golfers, Putting Biomechanics

McIlroy asks Harrington ‘Doc’ to cure his putting ills
By Karl MacGinty

Tuesday June 24 2008

RORY McILROY has asked Padraig Harrington’s ‘doctor’ to help cure his putting ills.

Ireland’s teenage sensation has started working with short-game specialist Dr Paul Hurrion in an effort to improve his putting averages on the European Tour.

“I decided to go and see Paul a couple of days after the US Open qualifier at Walton Heath because I didn’t want my poor putting to linger on,” explains McIlroy.

McIlroy languishes in 63rd place on Tour with average of 29.7 putts per round, two more than the best in Europe.

“I said to myself, I’m not putting well and I need to do something about it.

“Putting has been the only aspect of my game letting me down over the last few weeks,” added McIlroy, who missed his second cut in three events at last weekend’s International Open.

“So I’ve done something about it. It was my own decision to go to Paul. I’d met him when I was at Padraig Harrington’s house.

“Since Padraig’s probably the best putter on Tour, I thought: ‘Why not go and see Paul?’ I spent a whole day at this lab and now I am working hard in practice.”

A scientist who specialises in bio-mechanics, Dr Hurrion also counts Paul McGinley, David Howell and Philip Archer among his clients.

“Really, what he has done is pick my technique apart and put it back together again. I still have a long way to go but, hopefully, I can soon start seeing the results,” McIlroy explains. “If in the next five to 10 years I can take two shots a round off my scoring, it’s going to make a huge difference.”

Now 90th in the Order of Merit with €170,352 won in 15 events this season, McIlroy needs around €50,000 to retain his card. Yet his sights are set higher. Principally, he’s targeting a first win on Tour.



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