Must Read: Kimmage Chats With Harrington, McIlroy

Carve out a few minutes or Instapaper this Sunday Independent conversation moderated by Paul Kimmage and featuring Padraig Harrington and Rory McIlroy chatting.

This is a nice teaser:

Harrington says: "We would like to spend more time with Rory in the evenings. But we have a very different way of preparing for tournaments. He likes to play early, I like to play late. I’m not prepared to do his thing, he’s not prepared to do mine. And that’s fine because when I was his age I would do nothing for nobody in terms of (making compromises). Everything was: ‘What was the best thing for me?’. . . I’m prepared to compromise now.”

And Harrington says that he prefers the version of McIlroy that he occasionally comes across in private to the public face.

"I wonder sometimes about how you present yourself to the world,” he says. “It always seems much colder than who you really are. I don’t think I’ve ever been in your company where I haven’t walked away thinking you’re a nicer guy than I thought beforehand. And yet, media-wise, you can sound quite cold and clinical at times and I think: ‘He’s trying to be Tiger Woods.’ Because you present this . . . wall."

Comments

[BDF]

That was enjoyable. What a great read. Thanks for posting.

[Center Cut]

That was a good read. Amazing what journalists can extract when they decide to focus their writing on the human condition and not the bitchy snark route that so many go down...

[Hardy Greaves]

Thanks Geoff. That was a fun article from two guys that I really enjoy. Have a good day!

[CroDad]

There were two things that contributed to the best golf interview I've read in some time: an intelligent interviewer and two very interesting subjects.

[Ivan Morris]

It was an enjoyable read but I would have asked them why so few top Irish amateurs are unable to make the crossover to the pro game these days? Since 2010, 175+ have gone to ET Tour School, only one (Paul Dunne) has won a card and kept it the following year. Only three others have won cards but they lost them after one year. It's a pattern that has me perplexed because those guys are all in Limbo-land now. There are more Irish playing regularly on the PGA Tour than ET.

[BrianS]

I can't remember a better interview piece. Having the both of them there and obviously them committing to being open and honest - or maybe that just comes natural to them. Wouldn't it be cool to have a Tiger/Phil version of that ?

[Belowpar]

Paul Kimmage is an excellent journalist, who's background as a professional cyclist on the Tour de France helps him get closer to the real stories.

He's taken a hardline stance on drugs in sport.

Sadly opportunities are shrinking and it’s hard to believe the Sunday Times let him go. They chose the wrong Irishman IMO.

Compelling read.

The other photo at Portrush was of Fred Daly the only Irishman to have won a Major prior to Harrington. Easy to underestimate how much confidence he gave to Irish golfers when sixty years later he won three majors in 14 months. Not going too far to say he gave a huge confidence boost to Irish sport. The Rugby Team are currently 3rd in the world for the first time. And it's not entirely whimsical to suggest that the 3 subsequent Major winners from Northern Ireland (Population circa 1.7 million), couldn’t have come at a more crucial time in the Nation’s history. If England winning the World Cup in 1966 helped re-elect Wilson (a popular if erroneous belief) it can't have hurt for 3 world champions from 'across the divide' to emerge during the peace process.

Thank you Padraig, without you Rory wouldn’t be so confident. You've both given me lots of pleasure.

[munihack]

At the end of the article they both praised Spieth and his "x factor". To me all of the touring pros to some extent have that factor because their game has to travel and their lives outside the ropes are so different than most jobs. They are comfortable in that world and embrace it. To me that seems to be one of the biggest challenges a touring pro faces.

[Ernie Fahey]

Very good article to read, a shame more golf journalists can't seem to produce more pieces like this. Harrington and McIlroy are great for golf, this compared to the vast majority of golfers who are media trained to talk lost yet actually 'say' nothing beyond their golf games.

[FC]

Beyond their golf games? Between tournaments, a reality show pitting players against players on a variety of "outside the ropes" topics.

[MJ]

+1 to all comments. Great read.

[meefer]

A wonderful read, thanks. Two comments that struck me: 4 v 3 majors, 'it's not a competition', 'no it's not'...mutual respect. And, fudging answers, how they do it to protect themselves and the consequences of being honest.

[Rose]

@meefer, I thought that was interesting as well but Harrington also acknowledged that he squeezed everything he had to get 3 whereas McIlroy, with his talent, would be disappointed with 4. Harrington doesn't seem himself in the class of McIlroy talentwise

[meefer]

@Rose, agreed. I think you're point was brought home when Harrington discussed the idea that when Rory is 'on', when his head and game are in sync, he brings to the table a quality of game that intimidates the others. Something not seen since Tiger in his heyday.

[meefer]

At times I wish we could edit our posts...'your' point, not 'you're' point.

[putmedownforasix]

Harrington is a rarity in today's PC/insane media world -- direct, honest, humble, and interesting. The more I hear from him, the more I like him.

He is spot-on on Rory's persona via his interaction from the press.