PÁDRAIG Harrington may have endured a winless season on tour in 2009, but the 39-year-old Dubliner has managed to join an illustrious group after receiving the Jim Murray Award from the Golf Writers’ Association of America.

Harrington, a three-time major champion, was honoured with the Jim Murray Award, which recognises a golfer for cooperation, quotability and accommodation with the media.

Now in its ninth year, Harrington joins Juli Inkster, Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Nancy Lopez, Nick Price, Fred Funk, Jay Haas and Gary Player as a recipient of the award which honours one of America’s great sports writers.