Satisfaction has given way to joy for Pádraig Harrington as his induction into the World Golf Hall of Fame nears.
The Dubliner will be officially inducted into the Class of 2024 next Monday, having been confirmed last year, and the achievement has given him pause for reflection on a career that saw him established among the ranks of multiple major winners, among a plethora of other accolades and victories.
"By getting into the Hall of Fame, it brings a lot of emotions. Validation, no doubt about it. Satisfaction, no doubt about it," the 52-year-old said.
"And they were the first emotions 100%. It's a deep sense of satisfaction that I've done it, I've done well, that it's marked now.
"But as the week's gone on, there's certainly the sense of joy, that I get to enjoy all these past glories again and maybe take it in more than I might have done 20 years ago."
The three-time major winner added that he had furnished a full set of clubs for the Hall of Fame to display as well as the bag and shoes from the high points of the 2007 and 2008 era.
Harrington admitted that the prospect of earning such an accolade was something that only dawned on him as seasons passed and admitted that he was a little "apprehensive" as he waited on the culmination of the selection process for this year.
"Hall of Fames really aren't on the radar in Ireland are they? It's not something that we would have naturally grown up with," he said.
"It's only become a thing as you get out on tour. Then as you start to play better, it becomes a much bigger thing.
"You start realising 'that's a Hall of Fame career, he's a Hall of Fame player', people talk like that. I suppose it's a way of measuring success.
"So once you do start playing well, it does become on your radar and it's something that you want to be part of for sure. It's certainly not something I would've dreamt about when I started out."
Harrington acknowledged that performance is the only currency in gaining a place in the pantheon and credited his major wins, particularly the fact that he did not end up settling for his first one.
"Deep down I certainly wanted to win majors and definitely didn't want to win just one. I was really scared of that 'one,'" he said.
"Players who have won one, it becomes a burden during their career and it's only when they retire, they get to enjoy it. I always wanted to get that second one, I got a third one and really quickly and you can't change what's deep down."
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