Three-time major champion Padraig Harrington has been named by his fellow professionals as the inaugural winner of the European Tour Players’ Player of the Year award for 2008.
Harrington was honoured at the tour’s annual awards dinner at Wentworth — but then departed because he is not playing this week’s BMW PGA Championship.
The new award was conceived by the circuit’s tournament committee. The US tour already has such an award — and Harrington also won that for his Open and US PGA double last season.
The Dubliner commented: “I am deeply honoured to be recognised by my fellow European Tour professionals.
“I am sure the awarded will go from strength to strength and to be named as the first winner is very special indeed.”
Harrington, meanwhile, will have the opportunity to win up to $1 million (€730,000) for local charities when he meet’s Rory McIlroy in the Lough Erne Challenge in July.
The players are set to face each other in a €221,230 prize exhibition match to mark the opening of the new Nick Faldo-designed course at the Co Fermanagh resort
As part of the event, the players will also hit six balls at the par 3 fifth hole with each ball earning a cash denomination for one of twelve selected Fermanagh charities.
Should a player score a hole-in-one, $1 million will be donated to the charity assigned to that particular ball.
