This Week at WorldGolf.com: Nov. 22, 2006

Hats off to Padraig Harrington!

Much of the golf world this past weekend was watching a leprechaun grab a tiger by the tail, and gasping at the audacity and improbability of it.

In becoming the planet's dominant golfer, Tiger Woods had built up a fearsome reputation for holding onto tournament leads. Woods with a lead in his hands on Sunday has been as close to a lock in sports as you can get. He's never been a charger - more of a super hoarder.

Almost as fearsome was his playoff record, which was 15-1 entering the Dunlop Phoenix in Japan. Many people may know the name Billy Mayfair only because he was the only player to beat Woods in a playoff.

Until Sunday.

Woods blew a three-stroke, final-round lead with six holes to play and lost on the second playoff hole after watching Irishman Padraig Harrington pull off what some observers are calling a miracle shot. You may have seen it by now on one of the endless replays.

Harrington punched out between a small gap, a "Y" in a tree on the second playoff hole. The ball struck a limb but still managed to travel about 120 yards, allowing Harrington to feather a wedge in tight for a successful birdie putt. He then watched as Woods slid his birdie effort slightly wide.

The win enabled the 35-year-old Irishman to jump from 11th to eighth in the world rankings, cracking the top-10 for the first time in well over a year. He's been as high as No. 6.

Not a bad year for Harrington. He wins Europe's Order of Merit after a bruising and dramatic battle with Paul Casey and David Howell, then takes Tiger down a peg. Not to mention the fact he was part of the European Ryder Cup trouncing of the U.S.

He's probably glad he never used his degree in accounting, especially after winning the $1.69 million tournament. Harrington, by the way, is a distant cousin of Miami Dolphins quarterback Joey Harrington.

That's just one of the golf stories happening around the world. WorldGolf.com brings you much more this week.

As always, WorldGolf.com welcomes your comments.

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