Golf fans may have felt a sense of deja vu on Sunday at the PNC Championship, with the names of Woods and Harrington battling near the top of the leaderboard in Florida.
No player probably capitalised more than Padraig Harrington while Tiger Woods was sidelined with injury following the 2008 US Open. Harrington won both The Open Championship and the PGA Championship that year to make it the most successful season of his career.
Of course, Harrington is now regularly competing for honours on PGA Tour Champions. Meanwhile, Woods is not yet done in his fight to prove that he can return to a high level on the PGA Tour.
However, it was their sons who stole the show on Sunday at the PNC Championship. Charlie Woods made a hole in one on the fourth hole, while Paddy Harrington followed that with an ace on the eighth.
When Padraig Harrington beat Tiger Woods in a play-off
It was Team Woods who would ultimately come closer to victory as they were beaten in a play-off by Team Langer. But Padraig Harrington does know what it is like to get the better of Tiger Woods, with the Irishman inflicting one of the only play-off defeats on the 15-time major champion in his entire career – in an event on the Japan Golf Tour.
Woods had won the Dunlop Phoenix Tournament in both 2004 and 2005. But it was Harrington who denied him a third title on the spin, beating Woods on the second play-off hole after they both finished on nine under par.
How Harrington built upon play-off win over Woods to start most successful spell of his career
Woods has only ever lost one play-off on the PGA Tour, so it was a real statement for Harrington to beat him in that manner in the land of the rising sun. And it is perhaps no surprise that his first major win would come less than 12 months later at the 2007 Open Championship at Carnoustie.
Harrington had actually lost twice to Woods at the 2006 Ryder Cup, so there was perhaps also a bit of revenge there as the European looked to prove that he was indeed one of the best players on the planet at that time.
There may be a time in the coming years when Woods and Harrington face off on PGA Tour Champions. But based on what happened on Sunday at the PNC Championship, perhaps it may be their sons who one day have the duel on the PGA Tour the two major champions never quite had.
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