Padraig Harrington’s short game has long been considered one of the best ever seen in golf.
Still, Seve Ballesteros remains the name most people think of first when it comes to magic around the greens.
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The Spaniard had a reputation for pulling off incredible escapes from tough spots, regularly astonishing fans with his creativity and touch.
Tiger Woods, during his prime years, had similar abilities when it came to chipping and pitching. His precision around the greens was often compared to Seve’s.
Phil Mickelson also comes up frequently in discussions about the greatest short games. His technique and imagination have always set him apart.
Yet despite all of these names, Harrington believes his own short game was better than any of them.
Padraig Harrington on Seve Ballesteros and Tiger Woods’ short games
Photo by Andrew Wevers/Getty Images
Harrington is never shy about sharing his thoughts on the current state of professional golf, even if they are sometimes seen as controversial.
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He has always been open about not being the most naturally gifted player, at least compared to many others who reached the top level.
But when it comes to the short game, he truly believes he stood above the rest.
During a feature for the DP World Tour, Harrington was asked to remain quiet until he heard a name with a better short game than his own.
He stayed silent throughout and then explained why.
“All I know is, when they did the stats in the States – strokes gained – they used my 10 worst years and at that stage I was third, and only because I’m not a very good chipper off the fairway. But I’m number one out of the rough.
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“I was way better before that. I’ve had some dodgy times in the 10 years they used,” he stated.
Harrington added: “If I go at my peak, I was the ultimate pro. They say dogs that chase cars and pros that putt for pars don’t last but I was the ultimate pro who putted for pars.
“Everybody on their day … Phil Mickelson probably hits the best of the best shots. Tiger was as good and gritty as you could be. I don’t think you could argue against Tiger, he didn’t leave anything out there.
“But if it comes to chipping, I will back myself against anybody.”
Padraig Harrington’s comments reflect his competitive edge
He had plenty of grit on the course, and that showed up in his career as much as it did for Woods, Mickelson, and Seve.
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Still, even he has said he was not the best chipper off the fairway.
Given that admission, it is a bold claim to say his short game was better than those three legends.
You could also argue he did not quite have the same flair around the greens as those three did.
Still, Harrington clearly had an excellent short game. It just seems a bit much to call him the greatest ever with a wedge around the greens.
But from his perspective, that belief is a positive. It is likely one of the reasons he managed to stay at the top level of golf for as long as he did.
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