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Following his second British Open win, Padraig Harrington was able to hold onto a pair of gorgeous jugs.
Following his second British Open win, Padraig Harrington was able to hold onto a pair of gorgeous jugs. (Courtesy of James Phelps)

Golfer Supremacy Rankings don't need Tiger Woods as Harrington, Norman steal the show

William K. WolfrumBy William K. Wolfrum,
Contributor

We here at the Golfer Supremacy Rankings couldn't take our eyes away from the British Open. Who needs Tiger Woods - except for maybe the announcers and advertisers? No, we were plenty pleased to see Padraig Harrington defend his title. And Greg Norman's run at the claret jug may have fallen short, but it was still thrilling to watch.

Overall, in fact, we're thrilled to see golf thrive sans Tiger. The British Open, with its brutal winds and dynamic playing conditions, made for compelling viewing. And if that weren't enough, the LPGA Tour was in action, with Michelle Wie doing something stupid.

Seriously, Tiger Shmiger. Phil Mickelson, Sergio Garcia, Ernie Els and other big names of golf did little if anything over the weekend, yet we were gifted with some great golf and great personalities. For golf fans, it was a royal weekend indeed.

Golfer Supremacy Rankings

1. Padraig Harrington

Comments: Well, now Harrington knows what it's like to win a major title without having to be highly stressed up to the final shot. On Sunday, Harrington had the look of a champion and acted accordingly. Going into the final round, Harrington was confident and consistent and made the final result an afterthought. With two claret jugs to his name, Padraig Harrington has made it perfectly clear that he's the best golfer in Europe.

2. Greg Norman

Comments:Talk about flashback time! Greg Norman heads into the final round of the British Open in the lead? And collapses accordingly in the final round? At the age of 53? In 2008? Yes, The Shark came out of nowhere to become the biggest story at Royal Birkdale, playing consistently and brilliantly for the first three rounds in an astounding run up the leaderboard. Regardless of what happened on Sunday, Norman truly showed his class at the British Open, and while his fourth place finish may be the best we'll ever see from the Australian these days, Norman did a spectacular job of taking the focus off his personal and business life and move it back to where his name was created, on the golf course.

3. Tiger Woods

Comments: None of our crew from the Golfer Supremacy Rankings made it to watch the British Open at Royal Birkdale. No one seemed to notice, however. Tiger Woods didn't make it, either, but his absence was a bit more noticeable. Yes, the world of golf has learned how to handle things when Woods is out - by talking about Woods endlessly. Luckily, Norman showed up to take some of the limelight, and Harrington's repeat was the next step in his march toward historical fame. But face it, Tiger Woods was the biggest story of this British Open, and like us, he was thousands of miles away.

4. Michelle Wie

Comments: Oh come on! Wie was doing great, fighting it out near the top of the leaderboard at the State Farm Classic and she forgot to sign her scorecard?! At this point, we have every reason to believe that the Wie Camp is just messing with their ever-dwindling number of fans. We still believe that Wie will be a winner on the LPGA Tour eventually, but first she needs to get over her incredible need to punk all of her fans on a repeated basis.

Random Quote: "You know, it's just really unfortunate. I don't know what happened to me. Usually, I sign it first. But I forgot to sign the scorecard. Unfortunately, I left the tournament area, and a couple of the scorers went after me and I signed it and I turned it in. And I thought it would be okay. But it was an honest mistake. I don't know why or how it happened. But, you know, I just forgot to sign it. It was really unfortunate, but hopefully it won't happen again. It was a good learning experience." - Michelle Wie, after being disqualified at the LPGA State Farm classic.

William K. Wolfrum keeps one eye on the PGA Tour and another watching golf vacation hotspots and letting travelers in on the best place to vacation. You can follow him on Twitter @Wolfrum.

Any opinions expressed above are those of the writer and do not necessarily represent the views of the management.

 
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