He’s given up about 10 yards off the tee and his accuracy has shot up. That had a lot to do with winning the Masters, and I’m sure he’s ready to launch his first proper challenge for The Open. As far as winning majors is concerned, Tiger’s not going to add to his collection until he learns to drive it a lot straighter. If he can put the ball consistently into the fairway, then he’s obviously a big threat in any tournament. Personally, I believe the true world No 1 over the last year has been Vijay Singh. Ernie Els and Mickelson are also challenging.”Mention of Mickelson is especially poignant, as the laid-back Californian bridled a year ago when Harmon outspokenly described his refusal to give up any yardage off the tee as “pathetic”. Nowadays they act like best buddies, often swapping gags about Woods.Harmon has had more time of late to devote to coaching Darren Clarke, Adam Scott, Fred Couples, Steve Flesch and the last two champions at Troon – Mark Calcavecchia and Justin Leonard.Post-Woods, Harmon has seen Clarke lift his second World Golf Championship title in Ohio last August, and Scott win the Players’ Championship in Florida in March.He believes both have some way to go if they are to fulfil their talents, though.

“Darren has all the shots and his game is suited to links courses,” Harmon says. “He’s worked hard on improving his fitness and stamina by losing so much weight, but he still has to keep his temperament in check. He needs to remain patient if something goes wrong, because everyone is going to make mistakes from time to time in a major.”I think at the moment Padraig Harrington has the edge on Darren in terms of patience. One thing’s for sure, we’re not going to get four calm days, so staying patient will be very important As for Adam, he’s still learning how to play in majors.

He can be a streaky putter and that’s how he’s won to date – by holing out from everywhere. He’ll probably need to do the same if he’s to get into contention at Troon.”Harmon has spent all his life in the limelight after his father, a hitherto little-known club professional named Claude, stunned the game by winning the 1948 Masters.Also christened Claude, Harmon played on America’s PGA Tour from 1969-71. “My all-time hero was Arnold Palmer – he was the greatest influence on me,” he recalls. “I used to waggle the club like Arnold, hitch my pants up like Arnold, tried to do everything like Arnold But that was where the resemblance ended.

I wasn’t really very successful, so I became a club pro like my three brothers. Now my main job is running my own golf school in Las Vegas.” The turning point in his career came in the early 1990s, when he remodelled Greg Norman’s game to such effect that the Australian won the 1993 Open at Sandwich.Soon afterwards he hooked up with Woods, then 17. “We built his swing together,” said Harmon, with pride and ruefulness. How ironic that his former client seems intent on dismantling it all by himself.. In Chicago, Chicago, that wonderful town, they do things they don’t do in High Wycombe, which might help to explain why Luke Donald prefers to make a living on the other side of the Atlantic “I enjoy it over there,” the young Englishman said.