'Major 3 Wins' Harrington: "I'm the Senior Tour's Star Rookie~"

Turning 50 on August 31 Next Year, PGA Champions Tour Entry "Concurrent with Regular Tour"

[Asia Economy Kim Hyun-jun, Golf Specialist Reporter] 'Three-time major champion' Padraig Harrington (Ireland, photo) will debut on the U.S. PGA Champions (Senior) Tour next year.

Golfweek in the U.S. introduced on the 24th (Korean time) that "another giant has appeared on the Champions Tour." This stage is only for players over the age of 50. Harrington will turn 50 on August 31, 2021. Established in 1980, the Champions Tour has gained considerable popularity in the U.S. In fact, the total prize money is larger than that of the LPGA Tour, and since most events are played without a cut, the earnings are quite substantial.

It is interesting that Harrington collected three major championship trophies, including back-to-back wins at the "oldest major," The Open Championship, in 2007 and 2008, and the 2008 PGA Championship. He has six PGA Tour wins and as many as 15 European Tour victories. He was the European Tour money leader in 2006 and the PGA Tour Player of the Year in 2008, truly a "world star of his prime." He will also serve as the captain of the European team in next year's Ryder Cup, the intercontinental golf competition between the U.S. and Europe.

It is important to note that rookies tend to be more competitive on the Champions Tour. In fact, this year, Phil Mickelson and Jim Furyk (both from the U.S.) swept wins immediately after their debuts. Harrington also commented, "To succeed on the senior tour, you have to join as young as possible," adding, "I will play both the PGA Tour and the European Tour concurrently." In Korea, "Tank" Choi Kyung-ju (50, SK Telecom, photo) has been active on the Champions Tour since July.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.