I have absolutely nothing in common with García, admits Harrington
• Battle to be Europe No1 affected relationship
• Ryder Cup helped ease the on-course tension

Padraig Harrington admitted that he is the antithesis of Sergio Garcia.


Rumours of antipathy between Europe's two best golfers, Padraig Harrington and Sergio García, have circulated for years but in an interview with the Guardian the Irishman has revealed the full extent of their estrangement, describing a relationship riven by professional rivalry and personal differences.

"We have zero in common, bar the fact that we both play golf. He is the antithesis of me, and I am the antithesis of him," said Harrington, who was yesterday named the European Tour's player of the year in recognition of his two major victories in 2008, at the Open Championship at Birkdale and the PGA Championship in Detroit. The Irishman edged out García on the final green of the PGA and had also defeated the Spaniard in a play-off to win last year's Open at Carnoustie — an occasion remembered as much for the frostiness of their interaction as it was for the excellence of their golf.

At the time many observers believed their evident lack of personal warmth was a by-product of what was a fiercely contested tournament but Harrington conceded their antipathy was more deep-rooted.

"We play the game in exactly the opposite way. He is destined to find the long game easy and the short game hard, and I am the opposite," he said. "We're also competitors who for the last few years have been vying over who is the No1 golfer in Europe. I think in the hearts and minds of a lot of people García would have been No1, while I have been ranked No1. As you can imagine, no quarter is given. It is not as if we have ever had a row or a run-in. I have had plenty of run-ins with people and we would be friends but [with Garcia] it is just, well, we are just so much the opposite of each other."

Yet if Harrington was happy to concede that he and the Spaniard would never be close friends, he also insisted that relations improved during September's Ryder Cup, where the two players were members of the beaten European team. "It was one of the few good things that came out of that week," he said.

The pair played practice rounds together at Valhalla and, after being teased by other team members about a photograph on the team room wall showing Harrington holing a crucial putt at the PGA Championship, García conceded he had wanted to smash the club over the Irishman's head.

An article said that Paddy was working on some swing changes and strength building. Maybe he wants more of the long ball too

Remember "Chics Dig the Long Ball"!!!!!!!!

:-}

Later,

Very well stated !!!!

"he had wanted to smash the club over the Irishman's head."

IMO,, I think that was taken out of text and he was just stating he really wanted to win. Nothing against Paddy !!!!

Had read a later post saying they had kissed and made up