By Mike McAllister, PGATOUR.COM

Padraig Harrington makes his first appearance this week at the Reno-Tahoe Open. It’s a rare opportunity for golf fans at Montreux Golf and Country Club to follow a three-time major winner.

Harrington

As it turns out, Harrington is the third such champion to appear in Reno since the inception of the tournament in 1999.

Hopefully, his fate will be better this week than the previous two.

In 2001, Nick Faldo was in the field, five years removed from the last of his six major titles. He withdrew after shooting a 3-over 75 in the first round.

In 2006, Nick Price was in the field, 12 years removed from the last of his three major titles. He withdrew after shooting 71-71-73 in the first three rounds that left him at 1 under.

Several two-time major winners, such as John Daly, Lee Janzen, Mark O’Meara, Fuzzy Zoeller and Jose Maria Olazabal, have made multiple appearances in Reno. But Harrington, who likes playing the week before a major but did not qualify for the World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational, joins a select group.

MULTIPLE MAJOR WINNERS AT RENO-TAHOE OPEN