Padraig Harrington alludes to women competing with men amid golf ball rollback

Padraig Harrington and his youngest son, Ciaran, are playing in the annual PNC Championship this week in Orlando, Florida. Ahead of the 36-hole scramble, the former Open champion was asked about the golf ball rollback by Golf Digest’s Christopher Powers.

He then went on a seven-minute rant with a bomb at the end.

“The one thing about the rollback is it’s distinctly different—the attitude in the United States than the attitude, certainly in Ireland and the rest of Europe,” Harrington said. “You guys hate the USGA. We actually love the R&A. Golf isn’t an exclusive game in Europe.”

“The people who play golf in Ireland are people who have time,” he said. “Taxi drivers, policemen, anybody on shift work, and people who are wealthy enough that they can make some spare time, but everybody plays in Ireland.”

He then details why the rollback is essential for the future of professional golf.

“It’s very important for the rest of the world to roll it back... There is that attitude in the U.S. that the USGA is representing the very exclusive, old school courses. That’s not the case,” he said. “They are representing everybody, and I guarantee you the R&A, people have a much better view of them. They’re just trying to make the game grow for everyone.”

Harrington’s sentiments have been echoed by others in golf as well. But how he closed the rant was truly unique.

“You know what the biggest change is going to be?” Harrington asked. “I’m going to say it here — it’s going to be the ladies game. They hit too many fairways now, so there is a huge advantage going forward for somebody who comes out there with 175-mph ball speed. There is going to be a lady coming out with 175 ball speed who can be a real competitor, and guess what? She’s going to be able to play with the men and compete.”

The Grant Thornton Invitational put the women’s skills on display last weekend.

We have seen numerous women nearly make a cut on the PGA Tour. Most recently, Lexi Thompson fell just two shots shy of accomplishing that goal at the Shriners Children’s Open.

When the rollback takes effect and less emphasis is on driving distance, and more on shot-making, look for women like Thompson to potentially change the game forever.

Savannah Leigh Richardson is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. For more golf coverage, be sure to follow us @_PlayingThrough on all major social platforms. You can also follow her on Twitter @SportsGirlSL and Instagram @savannah_leigh_sports.