Ireland’s Padraig Harrington Is Just What Golf Needs

There’s a lot of talk in the golf world these days that the PGA Tour is boring without Tiger Woods.
I haven’t believed for a second since the world’s No. 1 player just after the U.S. Open said he would miss the rest of the season via a lingering injury.

Woods is an iconic athlete, but the world of golf doesn’t need hime to be exciting. A prime example occurred Sunday with Padraig Harrington rallied from three strokes behind to win his second straight major and third major of his career at the PGA Championship.

Harrington doesn’t have the Woods’ over-the-top fist pump or pelvic thrust that television cameras love to focus on. And Harrington has his brother-in-law as his caddy. There’s no Steve Williams,  Woods’ caffeine-induced shadow to mug as the camera and chest thump the signer of his paychecks.

But does golf really need that? Me thinks not.

How about a guy like Harrington as a player for the golf world to grab a hold of? He’s an Irishman with a sense of humor and competitive wont that’s refreshing.

Harrington has now won six of the last six majors in golf. And here’s what he said Sunday after winning the PGA Championship by two strokes over Sergio Garcia and Ben Curtis:

“I live to play the last nine holes of a major championship. I love it so much I am disappointed that the next major championship is eight months away.”

In the meantime, there’s always the Ryder Cup next month. And now with his consecutive major wins, Harrington will make it all the more interesting.

As for the next major, that’s the Masters in April 2009.

Wouldn’t in be great if Harrington got his wish and he and Woods were matched in the final round and they swung it out on the final nine holes?