Harrington to donate prize money
Padraig Harrington will donate all his prize money from this week’s €5m US PGA Championship to breast cancer research in memory of Darren Clarke’s wife Heather, who lost her battle against the disease on Sunday.
Harrington was given the sad news as he boarded a plane to Chicago and contemplated flying back home immediately for the funeral later this week.
However, after Ryder Cup teammate Clarke said Heather would not have wanted people to pull out Harrington is staying on in Medinah for the fourth and final major of the year.
The same applies to friends Lee Westwood, Graeme McDowell and Thomas Bjorn, although Paul McGinley withdrew on Sunday saying: “Some things are more important”.
“Travelling over here I wasn’t too sure what the situation was going to be but Darren made it clear he wanted the players to play here, that Heather would have wanted everybody to play,” Harrington said.
“I think my decision would be different if I was still at home but in view of what Darren has said, I’ve decided to stay. He has made it a lot easier for everybody, as he always would.
“I am going to donate all my prize money this week to breast cancer research, which is the charity they have nominated instead of flowers and things like that. So, hopefully, I’ll do some good by being here, whereas being there, I probably wouldn’t be able to do much – it’s one of those situations.”
McDowell, who like Heather is from Portrush, admitted he wrestled with his conscience before deciding to following Clarke’s advice.
“I was in Orlando last week when I heard. It was terrible news and we all feel for Darren and his family right now,” he said.
“My mum and dad are quite close to Darren’s mum and dad, so I thought: ’Will I go back or will I not?’
“It was a tough one and I’m sure it was very tough on Lee (Westwood) too as this is a tournament he didn’t want to miss.”
