Padraig Harrington Raves About Tiger Woods's Comeback: 'I Think He'll Win Another Major'
ORLANDO, Fla. – Despite the difficulty Tiger Woods has walking these days, Padraig Harrington is not discounting the idea that he might be competitive again, even suggesting Woods could win a major championship.
Harrington, 51, the three-time major championship winner, was impressed with what he saw from Woods on Saturday during The Match – despite Woods losing with partner Rory McIlroy to Justin Thomas and Jordan Spieth.
“If you’ve gotten in contention with nine holes to go, he’s going to be there,’’ Harrington said at the Ritz-Carlton Golf Club in advance of this weekend’s Father-Son Challenge, where Woods is competing with his son, Charlie. “The resilience is there. Everything about him. So I wouldn’t be second-guessing that part.
“He’s struggling to walk. 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.
“And he looked good physically. He looked better at that match. I’m not saying he ‘could be,’ I actually believe he will be a danger. I think he’ll win another major. I genuinely think he will be in contention. I’m sure he wishes every tournament he could play, if it’s like a major, he’s going to have a chance.’’
Woods has said that he’s dealing with plantar fasciitis in his right foot, which kept him from playing the Hero World Challenge two weeks ago. Woods said that while ramping up his walking and playing to prepare for that 72-hole tournament, he developed the painful foot issue that requires rest.
All of that was on top of the already problematic issues he is dealing with in the aftermath of the February 2021 car crash that caused several lower leg injuries. Woods played in three major championships this year and a total of nine rounds of competitive golf.
But he showed some speed in his driver swing on Saturday during The Match and has said he can hit all the shots. He will ride a golf cart at the PNC Championship.
“After watching Tiger in The Match, with a bit more speed . . .you never doubt Tiger’s mental ability, and it’s always one where is he able to come back,” Harrington said. “You’d never run Tiger off, but I actually think he might be ever better than that –in a better place than I had thought. So I will take a little sneaky look at Tiger, no doubt.’’
Harrington won four times this year on the PGA Tour Champions, including the U.S. Senior Open. He is playing with his son, Paddy.
Woods and his son, Charlie, will play in the pro-am Friday and have a noon tee time on Saturday for the first of two rounds. They will play alongside Justin Thomas and his dad, Mike.