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Harrington expects Tiger to re-establish his dominance

Despite his current patchy form, Padraig Harrington is certain Tiger Woods will regain his best form © Getty Images

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Padraig Harrington has admitted he is still intimidated by Tiger Woods and insists that the world No. 1 is a win away from re-establishing himself as the dominant force in golf.

Woods, dogged by injury and much-publicised marital problems, has not won a Major since defeating Rocco Mediate in a play-off to claim the 2008 US Open.

The American could only muster joint fourth at both the Masters and US Open this year, leading some to suggest the 34-year-old has lost his aura.

But Harrington, a two-time Open champion, believes the world's premier golfer is on the verge of rediscovering his best form and feels it is far too premature to be writing him off.

"Has he lost that aura of who he is? If he comes out and wins next week, for him and whether he intimidates other players, it is back to square one," said the Irishman.

"Some players might think he has lost a bit of his aura but I think he is exactly the same and the only way to deal with Tiger is to play your own game because his golf can be very intimidating.

"Tiger finishing fourth in a major is considered a failure - it is amazing what expectations can do because in those two performances he could have won both. To win the Open Championship you have to beat more than Tiger and the only one you really have to beat is yourself.

"But if he comes out and wins, wins, wins then players will be intimidated by him."

While Woods remains the sport's main attraction, Harrington was quick to laud two of Europe's current high flyers - insisting that performances are what make people stand up and take note.

"We put very high expectations on Tiger - but we do for anyone who is winning," he added. "Lee Westwood is intimidating every time he tees it up in Europe. It is performance that intimidates, not anything else.

"On that basis Justin Rose should be the man. He has won two out of three and should have won three out of three. No-one is on a better run than that.''

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