We need more buddies like Paul McGinley, Padraig Harrington

By now you’ve probably read how Darren Clarke’s wife Heather died this weekend after battling cancer. I knew about her being ill, sure. Most golf fans did. But I hadn’t read any of the stories about her death until just now. Scanning around on various golf blogs I stopped at Even Par Round’s blog where I saw this AP story.

It was sadly predictable - all too depressing. One thing, made me smile, however: The account of how, Paul McGinley, a buddy of Clarke’s, is helping Darren cope. Along with Clarke, McGinley is sitting out the PGA Championship this week. “Our two families are very much intertwined, obviously me and Darren out here, but Heather and (McGinley’s wife) Ali were the best of friends and our kids are in the same class at school,” said McGinley.

McGinley’s a guy who’s got his priorities in order. He’s not alone:

On McGinley’s web site, I read that Padraig Harrington, another class act (and someone who knows a bit about how cancer can devastate a family), has said he is going to donate his winnings this week to breast cancer research.

In light of this tragedy, I’d love to see the PGA of America and all of the competitors do likewise. (You too.)