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Open Champion Padraig Harrington named The European Tour Golfer of the Month for July 2008

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Ireland’s Padraig Harrington has been named The European Tour Golfer of the Month for July in recognition of his outstanding performance at Royal Birkdale, where he successfully defended his Open Championship title.

Harrington’s four stroke victory over Ian Poulter made him the first European since James Braid in 1905/6 to retain The Open Championship, and the 16th player in history to win back-to-back Opens. His victory also lifted him to a career high of third place on the Official World Golf Rankings.

Twelve months earlier at Carnoustie, Harrington became the first Irishman in 60 years to win The Open, and he repeated the feat with an inspired performance in the ferocious conditions at Royal Birkdale. Only three other golfers – Curtis Strange (US Open 1989), Nick Faldo (Masters 1990) and Tiger Woods (US PGA 2000, Masters 2002, Open 2006 and US PGA 2007) – have successfully defended Major titles in the last 20 years.

Harrington, as he did last year, warmed up for The Open by winning the Ladbrokes Irish PGA Championship in his magnificent month of July.

Indeed, July was filled with memorable performances in Europe and around the world with the panel also commending the performances of Ross Fisher, winner of The European Open; Graeme McDowell, who followed his third place at The London Golf Club with victory in The Barclays Scottish Open at Loch Lomond the following week; Mikael Lundberg, winner of the Inteco Russian Open Golf Championship; Vijay Singh, winner of the World Golf Championships - Bridgestone Invitational; Jeev Milkha Singh, winner of the Nagashima Shigeo Invitational Sega Sammy Cup; and Eduardo Romero, who captured both the Dick’s Sporting Goods Open and the US Senior Open.

The Golfer of the Month Award winners thus far in 2008 have been: Germany’s Martin Kaymer (January), Mark Brown of New Zealand (February), McDowell of Northern Ireland (March), Trevor Immelman of South Africa (April), and Spaniards Sergio Garcia (May) and Pablo Larrazabal (June). At the end of the year, all monthly winners will be amongst the players considered by the panel for The European Tour Golfer of the Year.