While the United States team are bemoaning the loss through injury of world No1 Tiger Woods, Europe can gain confidence from the presence in Valhalla of their own big cat - Padraig Harrington.

No player knows Harrington better than former school pal Paul McGinley and he believes the treble major winner is ready to sink his claws into American opposition.

McGinley, who partnered Harrington to victory for Ireland in the 1997 World Cup and who sunk the winning putt for the Europe in the 2002 Ryder Cup, said: "If it comes down to a scrap where a team really need a point, you want a mauler in there.

"There is nobody better at that than Tiger Woods but close behind him is Padraig. And those two are quite a distance ahead of anybody else.

"Padraig has a game not too dissimilar to Tiger's. They hang in there, they're never beaten, they get up and down, they score when by rights they shouldn't be scoring.

"Padraig really is a scrapper and I use the term as a compliment. Scrappers are the toughest guys to play against. They're like the boxer who hangs onto you and is so clever he keeps scoring points without you feeling it.

"That's what Padraig does. If this Ryder Cup comes down to a scrap, there'll be nobody in either of the two teams better at it than Padraig."

Harrington goes to his fifth Ryder Cup with many observers expecting him to assume the role of team-room leader from the absent Colin Montgomerie. After all, the world No4 is the only player at Valhalla who can claim to be a reigning major champion following the successful defence of his Open title at Royal Birkdale and his victory in the US PGA Championship at Oakland Hills, near Detroit.

But McGinley, who played in Europe's last three winning teams, believes his fellow Dubliner will let effervescent Spaniard Sergio Garcia become the team's new Monty.

"I just don't think Padraig has the personality to do it," he said. "Padraig is a very humble guy. He won't be the raucous, controversial kind of central figure that Monty has been. If you want to look for that kind of figurehead, Padraig will be quite happy to see Sergio take all his energy to the front.

"Sergio loves the Ryder Cup and he's got the leadership qualities you need in the team room. That doesn't mean Sergio will be our lead player out on the course. Padraig will still be number one and will do it in a more understated way.

"The truth is he doesn't have the kind of personality that's intimidating and he doesn't go out of his way to make himself intimidating. But his game is intimidating.

"Padraig's short game is phenomenal. It has been since I've known him from the age of 14. But now his long game has improved so much, too."

McGinley could not resist a snipe at those who wrote off Harrington as a choker because he always seemed to fall short of the big titles.

He said: "It's ironic the same guys who say Padraig is so strong mentally were criticising him for having all those second places only 18 months ago.

"But his success in winning three major titles didn't surprise me. I know what's he's like and I knew he was going to come good, which he did when he beat Sergio to The Open last year.

"He's gained hugely in confidence by winning that first major. That is probably the main reason why he's won majors two and three this year.

"Once you get over the hurdle of winning that first title, you reach a comfort zone."

• Paul McGinley, unbeaten in the Ryder Cup, was hosting a coaching clinic for Sure for Men, which is also unbeaten in competitive testing. www.sureformen.co.uk