Eternal bridesmaid Padraig Harrington swallowed the 26th runner up finish of his career and roared defiantly: “Roll on the new season.”

Harrington made a brilliant final round charge but lost his duel with a resurgent Tiger Woods, who held on to win the Target World Challenge by two shots.

One behind Woods with three to play, Harrington went on the offensive but finished bogey-birdie-bogey for a closing 66 at Sherwood Country Club in California.

And while he didn’t win, he showed Woods that he will be a rival to be reckoned with on the PGA Tour next year.

He smiled: “It's always positive when you're in contention. A win would have really made Christmas. Obviously I had a good chance there.

“Another second place. I can't say I'm bored of second place. I'm comfortable with where I'm at with my game.

“I know I can improve a lot of things, but I'm very happy. I would have said this week I've got my A game.”

Pressed all the way by Harrington, Woods hit an immaculate final-round 66 to finish on 14 under for his second strokeplay win this year.

Scotland's Colin Montgomerie - who led the field by two shots heading into the final round - could only manage a level-par 71 to finish one behind Harrington in a share of third with Jay Haas.

Defeat was tough to take for ultra-consistent Harrington, who also finished second in last week’s Hong Kong Open.

The world No 6 has now finished second an incredible 26 times in his career - SIX times this season alone.

But he was philosophical about his latest setback, having scorched to the turn in five under 31 to set the tournament alight.

Optimistic about his game before he begins his nine week break today, Harrington is looking forward to playing more regularly in the US in the early part of next year.

He said: “I'm going to come, March, April, May, June and play six or seven more events than I did last year in that period.

“This year I said I wasn't quite ready for some of the majors, certainly the Masters and the US Open. I just wasn't game sharp, so I'm going to play more early on in the year.”

The key hole for Harrington proved to be the par five 16th, where he dropped a vital shot as he went all out for the green in his pursuit of tournament host Woods.

By that stage the American had birdied the 13th to go one clear of Harrington, who was faced with a 280 yard approach to the narrow 16th green.

The Dubliner took on the shot but pushed his five wood into a hazard and gambled by playing the ball where it lay.

But his gamble backfired as his pitch rocketed into bushes from where he had to hack out left-handed and eventually got up and down for a bogey six.

He groaned: “The 16th again. Two years ago I hit it right in the middle of the green when I wasn't feeling too good. This year I hit it right when I'm feeling great.

“Sometimes you hit good shots. It was a 280 yard shot on 16. I was really trying to hit a hard drive with a 5 wood. Sometimes they come off and sometimes they don't.

“I needed to produce something over the last couple of holes. I knew Tiger was ahead at that stage, and I wanted to make a couple of birdies coming home.”

With the tournament slipping away, Harrington response was world class as he rifled a seven iron to four feet at the par three 17th to get back to one behind.

But a pulled drive on the 18th ended his chances of making a telling birdie.

Forced to lay up from heavy rough, determined Harrington still believed he could hole his third shot from the fairway, telling caddie Ronan Flood: “There’s more than one way to make a birdie.”.

But he missed the green to the right instead and eventually had to hole a 10 footer for bogey.

With a two stoke lead, Woods duly parred the 18th to take the title and a cheque for $1.25 million, which he donated to charity.

Harrington pocketed $750,000 to bring his season’s earnings on the golf course to over €5 million.

A delighted Woods said: “I was very comfortable with my swing, it was exciting down the stretch. Every shot I wanted to hit I hit, I just didn't make any putts today.

“I felt I needed to shoot three or four under par on the front nine with Monty and the others behind us. I didn't think Harrington would be five under on the front nine, but I felt I had to keep pace and I did that.”

Harrington can look forward to going head to head with Woods next season when he plays an extra seven events in the US. prior to the Masters and the US Open.

But he refused to blame fatigue for his late round errors at Sherwood, having travelled to Spain, Korea and China in the past three weeks.

He said: “It's adrenaline. Being tired is never an issue. The 16th is very narrow, and 280. I didn't hit a good shot and paid a penalty for it.

“I really like the golf course. It gives you a lot of opportunity to make birdies. There is a lot of trouble out there, as well. If you play good golf, you can make birdies and eagles. It's a good golf course at this time of the year.

“If you were somewhere else, maybe US Open style, I don't think anybody could come back, but it's nice to make a few birdies. I would have liked to have made less bogeys, but overall I do like the golf course.”

Harrington will now take nine week holiday before returning to action on March 17th - St Patrick’s Day - for the Carlsberg Malaysian Open.

He said: “Nine weeks off, plenty of things to do, plenty of nothing to do, as well, just sitting around. I'll have everything to do during that period, with no schedule, so it will be a good break.”

As for Woods’ return to form, Harrington believes the former No 1 is on the right track.

But he is more concerned with his own game as he continues his quest for a first Major title.

He said: “I've got to say looking at him, he seems to be getting things back. But I'm more concerned about me every week. I can't be worried about him. If he plays great, brilliant.”

Final scores and earnings

1 Tiger Woods 67 66 69 66 268 $1,250,000

2 Padraig Harrington 68 69 67 66 270 $750,000

T 3 Jay Haas 69 66 67 69 271 $447,500
Colin Montgomerie 67 66 67 71 271 $447,500

5 Miguel A. Jimenez 68 69 66 70 273 $290,000

6 Jim Furyk 67 68 67 74 276 $240,000

7 Stewart Cink 70 69 69 70 278 $220,000

T 8 Fred Couples 68 70 71 70 279 $205,000
Vijay Singh 74 69 68 68 279 $205,000

10 Chad Campbell 70 68 69 73 280 $190,000

11 Chris DiMarco 69 67 70 75 281 $185,000

T 12 John Daly 73 69 75 65 282 $172,500
Davis Love III 70 66 74 72 282 $172,500

14 Kenny Perry 73 73 69 69 284 $165,000

T 15 Stephen Ames 74 69 74 72 289 $155,000
Todd Hamilton 73 69 74 73 289 $155,000