Healing Woods congratulates Harrington

Tiger Woods watched enough of the PGA Championship to see Padraig Harrington join him as the only players this decade to win two majors in the same season, and he congratulated the Irishman in a newsletter Tuesday.

The question is whether Woods will be able to stop Harrington from trying to win three straight majors at the Masters. Woods had reconstructive surgery on his left knee and has no timetable for his return.

Repeating comments he made last week in a radio interview, Woods said he is able to move around without crutches, rides a stationary bike as part of his rehab but won’t start swinging a club until next year.

“I just don’t have a choice,” Woods said. “We simply don’t know what type of swelling there would be or if there would be any residual effects the next day once you start wheeling and dealing on the knee. Everyone’s body reacts differently.

“I don’t know what the doctors are going to tell me about playing golf down the road. I’m taking it day-to-day, week-to-week. All I’m doing every day is looking forward to my next day.”

Woods said he watched only parts of the British Open, PGA Championship and Senior British Open, where friend John Cook was in contention.

Love stands just outside

The Wyndham Championship feels like the final tournament of the year, especially for someone like Davis Love III. This is the final tournament to finish among the top 144 in the FedEx Cup standings and qualifying for the PGA Tour Playoffs.

Love is No. 150, and needs to finish at least 30th to have a chance.

Marco Dawson is holding down the 144th spot, but likely would get bumped if he doesn’t make the cut. Others outside the top 144 include Jeff Maggert (No. 162) and Rich Beem (No. 166), whose performance last year in the playoffs inspired the PGA Tour to change the volatility of points awarded in the playoffs. That will be of little use to Beem is he doesn’t make the playoffs.

Wie needs big finish

Michelle Wie makes her final LPGA Tour appearance of the year at CN Canadian Women’s Open, needing to win or finish second to avoid a trip to Q-school – if she decides to try qualifying.

“I haven’t really decided anything yet,” Wie said. “I think planning what’s going to happen next year or this fall is going to happen after this week. Right now, all I’m thinking about is how am I going to play good this week. How am I maybe going to possibly win this?”

Asked if she would consider Q-school, Wie replied, “I’m not going to think about the future right now.”

The tournament starts Thursday and features a strong field that includes defending champion Lorena Ochoa.