Padraig Harrington is Europe’s best hope to end a 78-year wait for a winner at the PGA Championship.
Ever since Scotland’s Tommy Armour beat Gene Sarazen 1-up to win the 1930 tournament (then following a match-play format) fans across the pond have had little to cheer about in the last major championship of the season.
“It’s the same old question arises every time,” Englishman Ian Poulter said when asked why the drought has lasted so long.
But there are several reasons why that losing streak might finally come to an end.
First, Harrington has won two of the last five major titles and that may be enough to stamp him as the man to beat when the PGA Championship gets under way Thursday at Oakland Hills in suburban Detroit.
Second, with Tiger Woods still recovering from season-ending knee surgery, few other players have taken advantage by playing consistently well.
Third, the storied old Donald Ross layout has hosted many major, international tournaments, but the last one provides a scrapbook of sweet memories for the Euros.
The European team captured the 2004 Ryder Cup by a landslide 18 1/2 -9 1/2 margin. They danced on the 18th green, sprayed champagne on each other and reveled in victory.
And now almost all of them feel that, since they’ve won collectively on the course, why shouldn’t one of them do it again?
