GOLF:PÁDRAIG HARRINGTON, a certified accountant, is making good use of the qualification for his own benefit. The three-time major champion yesterday signed the biggest individual sponsorship deal ever by an Irish sportsman when he entered into a multi-year global partnership with international consulting firm FTI. Although the amount was undisclosed, it is believed to be in the region of €12 million over three years.
This sponsorship deal is a new departure for FTI, who employ 3,600 people in 26 countries. The Wall Street-listed consulting firm specialises in global corporate financing, forensic accounting, debt crisis and hedge funds and represents 85 per cent of the 'Fortune 500' companies.
For example, FTI advised the British government on the Northern Rock crisis and also Lehman Brothers bank. As Harrington put it: "FTI has its finger on the pulse of all the intriguing, interesting situations going on around the world."
Not that Harrington has any debt crisis of his own. Only last month, Harrington renewed a deal with club manufacturer Wilson - worth an estimated €10 million over three years - and extended his relationship with clothing company, Kartel. He also has deals Hi-Tec shoes, Titleist golf balls and U4EA technologies, but this partnership with FTI moves Harrington into a new, bigger league which confirms his international marketability.
One aspect of the deal, apart from the financial implications, which attracted the 37-year-old Dubliner was FTI's commitment to the "Harrington brand." The golfer - winner of the British Open for the past two years and also this year's US PGA - will be the centrepiece of an international marketing campaign involving worldwide television and print advertising.
A series of ads were screened last week at Halfmoon Bay in San Francisco, while the FTI logo will also claim the prime spot on the front of his hat, replacing Wilson which has shifted to the side. While some of Harrington's time in the United States last week was spent shooting those advertising commercials, he also met his back-up team as he prepares to return to tournament play next year with an opportunity to challenge Tiger Woods for the world number one spot and, also, with the build-up to the US Masters at Augusta National - when he will be attempting a third straight major win - very much on his mind.
Harrington is due to return to competition in the Abu Dhabi championship in January, but, thereafter, much of his schedule will be in the United States. Indeed, after meeting his backroom team - among them fitness coach Liam Hennessy, putting guru Paul Hurrion, manager Adrian Mitchell and caddie Ronan Flood - Harrington is considering revising his schedule ahead of both the Masters in April and the US Open in June. One consequence of his new scheduling is that he is now very unlikely to play in the BMW PGA championship at Wentworth in May.
Although Harrington doesn't disclose his personal ambitions so as not to "give anyone ammunition" should he fail to meet them, he is aware that Woods's injury and absence means that it is mathematically possible for someone to claim the world's number one ranking around the time of the Masters in April. Harrington is currently ranked fourth, with Sergio Garcia and Phil Mickelson at two and three respectively.
