Ireland’s Padraig Harrington is just one of dozens of top international players who will step to the first tee at the 2009 Masters Tournament with a chance for victory.

But he holds a solo distinction, sure to be envied by all entered in this year’s Masters Tournament, April 6-12.

Harrington, making his 10th appearance at the Masters, is the only player with an opportunity to win his third consecutive major championship.

While four-time Masters Champion Tiger Woods was out with knee surgery in the second half of 2008, Harrington won both the The Open Championship and the PGA Championship.

He needs only this year’s Masters title and the U.S. Open Championship to complete what some have called the ‘Paddy Slam,’ repeating the same feat Woods accomplished in 2000-2001.

“I’m happy to have it because of what it means, that I won the last two majors, but in terms of winning the Masters, it probably makes it harder,” Harrington said as he completed his preparations for this year’s Masters.

Since last August’s PGA Championship win, by two shots over Sergio Garcia and Ben Curtis, Harrington has had plenty of time to think, prepare and consider how he can handle this year’s challenge at Augusta National Golf Club.

It’s a challenge made harder by the pressure of others to continue his outstanding play in top tournaments, plus the need to gain his first Masters victory.

“It’s just one of those few places where the hair stands up on the back of your neck when you arrive.” Harrington said. “The Old Course (St. Andrews, Scotland) is about the only other place I can think that does that.”

Last year, he finished tied for fifth at the Masters with weekend rounds of 69-72 to close in on eventual winner Trevor Immelman, ultimately finishing six shots back.

It was his third top seven finish at the Masters and his second strong showing after a tie for seventh in 2007, four shots behind winner Zach Johnson.

He said he remains confident and hopeful coming into the year’s Tournament, but not overly boastful.

“I have to be very careful with my attitude. I have to talk the right talk and play to my record. I have to get my rest and stick to my plan despite all the hype.”

Adding to his British Open title in 2007, Harrington has now won three of the last six of golf’s major championships. Woods has won two of the last six. Neither has a Masters title in that time.

“That will give me confidence for sure, but I’m not sure you ever learn as much from winning as you do losing. In fact, I’m sure of it,” Harrington added.

“You need results to show you’re on the right track. When you lose, everything is magnified. You learn about yourself and your game. That is the real breakthrough. Winning just becomes a habit.”

In 2007, he became the first Irish player in 60 years to win the British Open. Now, he aims to become the first Masters winner from Ireland, having been born and still living in Dublin.

He doesn’t plan to change his practice or his approach in April as he goes for his first Masters win.

“I haven’t changed my approach in the last 10 majors, so why should I change now?”

While he hasn’t changed much in a decade of appearances at Augusta National Golf Club each April, he has learned from some previous international Masters Champions.

“You don’t have to cover everything (in practice), not every chip and every putt out there,” Harrington said. “It’s impossible and it will wear you out. Just relax and play your game.”

He remembers he was far from relaxed the first time he qualified for the Masters at age 29 in 2000.

“I knocked around like a headless chicken my first couple of years. But you’re always learning, and now it’s a new experience after what I have won (lately).”

He turned in a respectable tie for 19th in his first appearance in 2000, but was ultimately done in by a first round 76.

In fact, that’s turned into a disturbing trend, slow starts he finds hard to overcome.

In eight Masters first rounds, Harrington has only broken par 72 once, with an opening stroke average of 74.1.

He admits it could be a mixture of Masters nerves and excitement, but as golf’s most consistent winner over the last year, he said a victory is the only acceptable result from his renewed Masters quest.

“I’d be happy to miss the cut this year, if it means I’m guaranteed of winning the next two years,” Harrington said. “I’d take that over two straight second place performances.”

It’s part of a recently acquired winning habit he’s hopeful to continue at the 2009 Masters.