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Padraig Harrington receives European Tour Players’ Player of the Year Award

Triple major champion Padraig Harrington has won the inaugural European Tour Players’ Player of the Year Award for 2008.

The Irishman received a silver salver with the central section featuring five-times major winner Seve Ballesteros.

“I am deeply honoured to be recognised by my fellow European Tour professionals who have been worthy competitors on the world’s fairways and good friends off the course,” said Harrington as he picked up the salver.

“I am sure the Players’ Player Award will go from strength to strength and to be named as the first winner is very special indeed.”

Tour chairman Thomas Bjorn said fellow player Darren Clarke had played a leading role in setting up the honour.

“Darren Clarke took the lead in driving the initiative from the European Tour membership to recognise our fellow professionals each season through this prestigious Players’ Player Award,” said Bjorn.

“There is a special feeling about being honoured by your peers and our inaugural winner, Padraig Harrington, proved beyond doubt in 2008 that he is a truly exceptional champion.”

Harrington won the British Open for the second year running before landing the U.S. PGA Championship.

The 37-year-old Dubliner will skip this week’s PGA Championship at Wentworth.

May 20, 2009