How Hogan link helped Torrance aid winner

Published on Tuesday 24 July 2007 00:31

THE thread which links Padraig Harrington, the 2007 champion at Carnoustie, with the incomparable Ben Hogan, the winner in 1953, can be traced through the eyes of his coach, Bob Torrance, who was a spectator on the Angus links 54 years ago. After Torrance saw Hogan, he never looked at golf in quite the same way again.

That his first major winner should lift the Claret Jug on the great links where Torrance himself was smitten by the Hawk more than half a century earlier carried the imprint of destiny.

Last Tuesday evening in Carnoustie, Harrington had attended a dinner to present Torrance, 76, with an award for his services to the game.

While there were many calls and texts to answer yesterday, Harrington made sure he spoke to Bob, the man who helped transform a journeyman's swing into the action of a major winner over the past 11 years.

"I'm thrilled for Bob because he is so much a part of this success," reflected the Irishman. "He's worked tirelessly on my game and never stopped thinking about it. For me to go out and win a major was very special for him. But for me to go and win a major at Carnoustie was the ultimate. Bob loves Hogan so much. It was the icing on the cake for his first major winner to succeed here.

"I can never properly repay Bob for all the time and effort he's put into my game. Hopefully, winning the Open at Carnoustie pays off the debt a little bit."

One of the hardest working men in golf in his own right, Harrington also acknowledged Hogan as one of his own heroes. "He was always one of my idols," added the Dubliner. "I didn't go for the unbelievably talented people. I liked the workers who got the most out of their talent. Hogan went from struggling to the best ball striker of all time."

Thanks to his own desire and Torrance's shrewd eyes, Harrington was able to make the journey from run-of-the-mill professional (as a qualified accountant, he always had a profession to fall back on) to Europe's first major winner since 1999.

The morning after the night before in Carnoustie, when he'd only had two hours sleep, Padraig woke up his wife, Caroline, around 6am and whispered in wonderment: "I'm the Open champion."