Padraig Harrington Tips Tiger Woods To Win Another Major

Three-time Major champion Padraig Harrington tees it up in this week's PNC Championship where he and his son Paddy will get to compete up against arguably the greatest player to have ever played the game, Tiger Woods.

Many will think that Woods' days at the top of the game are finished, but the Irishman believes the 15-time Major champion will win another one and get to number 16 after seeing how he looked at 'The Match' this past weekend.

"He's struggling, the walk. You know, I'm like that. I'm on the Champions Tour, I get to go in a cart, which is great. Tiger, if you can get him to the last nine holes of a tournament, I don't think you're going to have a problem," Harrington said.

"And he looked good physically. As I said, he looked better at that match. So, you know, I'm not saying he "could be," I actually believe he will be a danger.

"I think he'll win another Major. The way I looked at him, I genuinely think he will be in contention. And as I said, I'm sure he wishes every tournament he could play, if it's like a Major, he's going to have a chance."

Harrington has added significant distance to his game over the past few years and went on to win four times in his rookie season on the PGA Tour Champions this year including at the US Senior Open. The Irishman has been noticing Woods' numbers - and in particular the mid-to-high 180 ball speeds with driver - and is intrigued to see the American up close this week at the Ritz-Carlton Orlando.

"Saw the numbers. Looking at the speed numbers. So I want to go and see it in person and see," he said of Woods.

"Tiger, if he's not in contention, I don't know if he doesn't lose interest, but when he got in contention in the Masters, everybody took note, as in the rest of the field took note. So Tiger knows if he can get himself into position, that he'll raise his game and put a little bit of pressure and stress on the rest of the field.

"I think he needs a little bit of physicality as in that ball speed. It's just tough if you go out there against these young guys, there's so many of them that they're hitting it and they're overpowering golf courses. 

"If you're not somewhat able to keep up there, initially, I don't think I would - you're not doubting Tiger being good down the last nine holes, but the little bit of extra speed will help him because in the first 63 holes, that the last nine holes, you know, who would want to be coming down the stretch against Tiger, all these young guys, you know.

"You know he's capable of doing anything at that stage. And, yeah, I think he's in a better position to get himself into that last nine holes."

Harrington reiterated how well he thought Woods looked at 'The Match' but says he is even more interested to watch the golf swing of Tiger's 13-year-old son Charlie this week.

"Charlie. Charlie. Actually, to be honest, definitely Charlie, Charlie, Charlie," he said. "But kind of just strange enough, after watching Tiger in the match, to me, with a bit more speed and a bit more of that, like you never doubt Tiger's mental ability, and it's always one where is he able to come back, and you don't want to give up - like he looked better physically at that match and the speed.

"And you know me, obviously, I'm interested in that stuff. You know, you'd never run Tiger off, but I actually think he might be even better than that - in a better place than I had thought. So I will take a little sneaky look at Tiger, no doubt. But Charlie, to be honest, I'm more interested in Charlie.

"It's very interesting for a 13-year-old. And he did it when he was 11. It's hard to support the angles in a golf swing when you don't have - at 11, he could hold the club at the right position. Like most kids who are good at 11, 12, 13 years of age, their swing hasn't even come close to developing.

"Like I bet you if you went back and looked at Rory at 12 years of age, he was hitting a big loopy, you know, drop kicking. Because that's what they do, kids. But Charlie has always managed to pressure the golf ball, which is exceptional at that age. It really is. So, yeah, I'd be looking at and looking at the swing to see how it is."

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