Harrington sees Tiger Woods "in good shape to win more majors"

Tiger Woods receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Donald Trump in May 2019

Pádraig Harrington believes the game is stronger at the top than ever with "at least half a dozen" players capable of leaving the rest for dead if they play their best

It's not just about Rory McIlroy and Brooks Koepka and Harrington knows that Tiger Woods, who equalled Sam Snead's tally of 82 PGA Tour wins in Japan this week, has not gone away.

"He came out and won the Masters, which is something I predicted he would do," Harrington said. "We were surprised he didn't kick on from that, but he came out very strong last week.

"You are looking at a player who physically can't play a lot of tournaments and he is going to have to limit his schedule.

"But any week he turns up fit and healthy, if things go his way, he can win. He is not the guy of 10-12 years ago who could win tournaments when things weren't going his way.

"But he is now the guy who knows how to win when he gets a chance of winning.

"The more pressure there is, the more intensity there is and the tougher the golf course, the more it plays into his hands. He looks in good shape to win more majors.

"He's won twice this year and if he tees it up in nine events feeling fit and healthy next year — and he will play more — he will win two or three. He is just hoping that he doesn't have any issues or niggles the weeks of the four majors."

Harrington still has 11 events of a PGA Tour medical exemption remaining.

He could have returned for this week's Bermuda Championship at Port Royal but as that would mean stating the 11-tournament countdown, he will wait until the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am next year, leaving Seamus Power to fly the flag after his three-week break.

As for hosting next year’s Dubai Duty Free Irish Open, Harrington has ruled himself out. believing it would be “one step too far” in his Ryder Cup year.

Europe’s Ryder Cup captain does not want to take on even more responsibility in 2020 by acting as the anchorman for the $7 million Rolex series event from May 28-31.

And with Paul McGinley adamant after last year’s event at Lahinch that he would not be putting his name forward and seniors player Darren Clarke now based in the US for much of the year, it’s not impossible that Graeme McDowell could be asked to step up to the plate.

“I have no news on the host but I know it is not going to be me,” Harrington said as he got ready for a two week trip to the Turkish Airlines Open next week and the Nedbank Golf Challenge before taking son Paddy to compete in the PGA Tour Champions’ PNC Father Son Challenge at the Ritz-Carlton in Orlando from December 5-8.

“It was one step too far for me to host it. I have idea who the tour have spoken to. It's not me that's for sure.”

McDowell (40) won the Corales Puntacana Resort and Club Championship in March to end a near three-and-a-half year victory drought and insisted recently that he hadn’t given up hope of making a fifth Ryder Cup appearance under Harrington in September.

But as one of Thomas Bjorn’s vice-captains in Paris last year and a likely assistant for Harrington should he fail to make the team for Whistling Straits, he’s also regarded as a potential captain in waiting.

With the 2026 Ryder Cup set for Adare Manor, when McDowell will be 47, an Irish Open hosting in Co Kilkenny might offer an excellent opportunity to display his leadership skills on home soil.

The 2010 US Open champion said after Europe’s win in Paris that he would like to be considered for the Ryder Cup captaincy.

Harrington might have ruled himself out as host next year but he's predicting a swift return to the links swing for the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open.

The Dubliner (47) is a likely front runner to host in 2021 with several links courses eager to stage the $7 million Rolex Series event.

The move from links in July to parkland from May 28-31 next year was prompted by the WGC FedEx St Jude Invitational moving to the Irish Open date and the Olympic Games in Japan coming the week after The Open.

"The links swing has not gone by the board," Harrington said. "It's just that this opportunity arose with the Olympics now part of the summer schedule.

"So the links swing is going to be back for sure. And it is of benefit to the Irish Open to have that option where players will want to play links golf two weeks before The Open and not a week before."

The European Tour consulted marquee stars McIlroy, Shane Lowry and defending champion Jon Rahm about moving the Irish Open and offered them several alternatives.

"They gave them a few options and that's the one they chose," Harrington said. "That opened up the idea that you didn't need to go to a links golf course.

"Mount Juliet has shown itself to be a great tournament venue. It's not just that they've had good winners or that the golf course is a great layout that's always in good condition, it's one of those places that lends itself to a festival atmosphere.

"I for one will be looking forward to it, and the players will enjoy it.

"If any golf course can get itself in good condition at that time of year, Mount Juliet is one of them. It has been one of the best laid out and conditioned courses in the country from the time of its inception."

Harrington would be a good choice on links terrain if the Irish Open recovers its spot two weeks before The Open and with County Sligo and Portmarnock Hotel & Golf Links among the interested parties, he knows the European Tour will have options.

“I think the road map is there after Lahinch and somewhere like Rosses Point will be able to shut the village down for the event and free it up for the nighttime,” he said.

As Ryder Cup skipper, he's eagerly watching the conclusion of the Race to Dubai where Shane Lowry lies third behind Bernd Wiesberger and the absent Jon Rahm ahead of this week's WGC HSBC Champions in China.

Lowry, who will play in Turkey and Dubai but skip the trip to Sun City for the Nedbank Golf Challenge in a fortnight, tees it up with Wiesberger knowing he has a chance to cut into the Austrian's lead.

McIlroy, meanwhile is looking to win his fourth event of the season and close the gap on the injured Brooks Koepka at the top of the world rankings.

"I feel like this year's gone very well," said McIlroy. "I think last week in Japan was my 17th top ten of the year, so I've played consistent golf, and I've won a few times as well.

"I started this year maybe eighth or ninth in the world. If I play well the next few weeks, I'll have a great platform going into next year."