Despite the many negative stories hovering over the golf world heading into the fall months, perhaps the summer of 2022 can be remembered for lovers of the game spending their own money to buy drinks for others.
As Ryan Glasspiegel detailed for the New York Post, 51-year-old Padraig Harrington is in Sioux Falls, S.D., this week for the Sanford International PGA Tour Champions tournament. On Tuesday before play got underway, caddie Troy Martin took to Twitter to explain that a group of fellow caddies had arranged a get-together at a local establishment and that Harrington eventually showed up to the event and cleared the bar tab for the dozens of individuals who received an unexpected treat:
A couple of @ChampionsTour caddies arranged a party tonight in Sioux Falls. @padraig_h showed up, dominated the pool table, and picked up the entire tab for 40+ caddies. Class act. THANK YOU! @SanfordIntl pic.twitter.com/xVExc4uf7Y
— Troy Martin (@TroyMartinGolf) September 14, 2022
Harrington also acknowledged the evening via social media:
A great night all round, thank you for including me. The stories these guys have of life on tour!!!! “ dominating the pool table” priceless @ChampionsTour https://t.co/7dXhIWpbvx
— Padraig Harrington (@padraig_h) September 14, 2022
Harrington is probably best known among casual sports fans for winning the 2008 PGA Championship and The Open Championship in 2007 and 2008. The Associated Press (h/t ESPN) noted this past Sunday that he most recently won the Ascension Charity Classic for his third PGA Tour Champions title this year.
According to his Yahoo Sports bio, Harrington has earned $49,388,798 over his career and, thus, can easily afford to close out the occasional bar tab. Nevertheless, this is a wonderful gesture from somebody rightfully described as a "class act."
Some may recall how an amateur golfer went viral in late August/early September after he purchased shots for everyone on his plane because he sunk his first-ever hole-in-one earlier in the day.
May similar headlines dominate the golf community through the end of the year.
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