Lehman tips Harrington for greatness

Padraig Harrington can become just the fourth man to do the British Open - US PGA double on Sunday night.

And former US Ryder Cup skipper Tom Lehman reckons the hard-working Dubliner has the class and the ambition to be a major rival for Tiger Woods for years to come.

Lehman said: “With Padraig, it seems he’s not going to be satisfied when he gets to the top. The thing I really appreciate about him, I feel like the victories are a complete result of his work ethic, he works so hard.

“There are some guys who just don’t seem to be satisfied until they get to where they want to get to and that’s the way he seems to be. And that’s the way Tiger seems. And that’s the way Vijay has worked. And that’s the way Phil has worked and a number of guys that you have seen over the years. They have that extra fire that’s not going to be satisfied with any less than the best.”

The 1996 Open champion and former world No 1 rates the Dubliner’s Birkdale victory as one of the finest he’s seen and predicts more success for him as a result.

“Look at him at Royal Birkdale," Lehman said. "You hang in there, hang in there, hang in there and then, wham, something great happens at the right time and, of course, that was pretty great that finish.

“It’s the kind of thing that just has got to give him confidence because Tiger does it so often and he is so good at it.”