On Golf: Tiger to get a challenge

CHASKA, Minn.

Don’t engrave Tiger’s name on the Wanamaker Trophy just yet.

Make no mistake, Woods is still the prohibitive favorite to walk away from Hazeltine on Sunday afternoon with his 15th major title.

After all, it’s impossible to overlook his legacy of perfection as a front-runner. In 14 chances from the 54-hole major pole, Woods (8-under 208) has never failed to convert a lead or share of a lead into victory. The numbers are equally staggering in all PGA Tour events, where golf’s 33-year-old leviathan boasts a 47-3 record with 16 straight conversions as a third-round leader.

The history clearly means nothing to Ireland’s Padraig Harrington (6-under, 210) and South Korea’s Y.E Yang (6 under). On an excellent scoring day when Woods was expected to race further into red figures and away from the flagging field, the international duo put a few dents in Sir Swoosh’s aura of invincibility.

While Woods was busy posting a scratchy, conservative 71 on Saturday, Harrington carded a steely 69 and Yang a sterling 67, both men halving Tiger’s 36-hole lead by pulling within two strokes of the world No. 1 entering today’s finale.

“We have nothing to lose,” said Harrington, who will be playing in Sunday’s penultimate group behind Woods and Yang. “Everybody expects it’s going to be [Tiger who wins], so we can go out and have a free run at him.”

Now, a few DiMarcos, Mediates and now Yangs have come after a front-running Woods on the weekend in majors past and present. But rarely has a player of Harrington’s caliber stood in the withering stress of a Woodsian major and charged instead of floundering.

By winning two of his three majors in Tiger’s absence last season, Harrington proved his major mettle and cemented his place among the game’s elites. In deconstructing and rebuilding his swing this season, the 37-year-old proved he wasn’t content to simply be a member of the multiple-major club. Harrington wanted more, shrugging off his swing-change critics and striving for something better.

“I’m not happy unless I’m changing or working on something,” said Harrington, who was frustrated last season by a tendency to routinely miss four yards right of his intended target. “The fact that I had won three majors probably gave me in my mind the leeway to go work on my game. There would be no point in trying to stand still. I’m always trying to get better.”

If that sentiment sounds like the one Woods used as his reasoning for swing changes in 1998 and 2004, it should. Harrington’s work ethic, desire and quest for perfection in a tortuously imperfect game make him a competitive kindred spirit to Woods. Perhaps Harrington lacks the raw talent of a Phil Mickelson or Ernie Els, but he makes up for that shortfall with the kind of dogged will and competitive determination that have long been the strongest facets of Woods’ own magnificent game.

“Paddy is an extremely hard worker, very patient and really believes in himself and his game,” said Woods, who clearly regards Harrington with the kind of respect he formerly reserved only for gutsy grinder Jim Furyk. “It’s really nice to see someone who works that hard at his game accomplish his goals. That’s certainly one of the things I’ve always admired about him.”

Golf has waited for more than a decade to discover Woods’ ultimate rival. All the other applicants were somehow flawed. David Duval disappeared into an existential abyss. Sergio Garcia has never overcome his balky putter. Ernie Els (3-under 213), who made a nice run Saturday before crashing down with three consecutive closing bogeys, has always struggled with desire and confidence. Phil Mickelson has collapsed a few too many times in the moment for us to trust his constitution.

Perhaps golf has finally found its man in Harrington. Perhaps the Dubliner will become Tiger’s first legitimate rival. The golf world got a preview of Sunday’s potential duel last week at Firestone, where Harrington swapped shots with Woods for 16 holes before a meddling official disrupted his concentration and his bid to take down Tiger.

As Garcia stated at the 2006 PGA Championship at Medinah, Tiger’s streak of closes from the 54-hole major pole will end at some point:

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