Seven Players To Light Up The Masters: Padraig Harrington

Nick HowsonApr 8, 2009

This is the sixth of seven pieces about players who are in contention to take away this weeks Master Title, and this edition focuses on the No. 1 player of 2008.

That was three-time major winner Padraig Harrington, who collected two of those majors during last year, with wins at the Open Championship and the PGA Championship.

He goes into the tournament as the form player in the world having collected those two titles at the end of the last year, and is looking in good shape to collect a third Major in a row.

Harrington is a prime example of a player who needed to win his major to start producing his best golf, something the likes of Colin Montgomerie and Sergio Garcia can certainly aspire to.

His Open win in 2007 was by a little bit of luck, after he saw Garcia miss a putt for the Championship, before beating the Spaniard in a four-hole play-off.

His form continued into the following years championship, as he held off competition from Ian Poulter to become the first European in over 100 years to retain the Claret Jug.

These Major wins go alongside what is a gradually improving record at Augusta, with a joint fifth finish following on from his joint seventh finish from the year before, so not only has the Irishman got titles to his name, but he has gradual improvement in other competitions as well.

It’s the first time that we’ll see both him and Tiger Woods battling it out properly since his major win, and for me it couldn’t be closer between the two.

Will Harrington be feeling the pressure?

Well now he’s a three time Major winner certainly not as much, but with Woods in close company he’ll be keen to prove a point.

He’s in an elite band of players who are clear favourites for this title and after what was a disappointing Ryder Cup he has a reputation to re-build with the American audience as well.

Harrington’s improvement has almost been in keeping with what it takes to win at Augusta; a very tight short game, a weapon he can use to his advantage this weekend.

Like with every major tournament you need a bit of luck, but with this Irishman there is plenty of ability to overcome any obstacle, Tiger beware.