In the absence of Tiger Woods, Pádraig Harrington is the only one in the 18-man field of the Chevron World Challenge that can join the world number one and host as the only multiple winner of the €3.6 million event.

The Dubliner won the event at Thousand Oaks in southern California in 2002 and tonight he did his hopes of repeating the feat no harm with a three-under-par 69, one adrift of joint-leaders Zach Johnson and Ian Poulter.

While most of the running was made by his playing partner Lee Westwood and then Ian Poulter in the final group, Harrington played a typically solid game, carding just one bogey and finishing strongly when the newly installed world number four faltered badly.

Harrington said afterwards he was the only previous winner in the field “because Tiger wins it most years”, but admitted his previous on the course is a positive.

“I suppose that’s a nice thing. But there’re plenty of good guys here, plenty of winners here as well,” said the three-time Major winner.

“It is nice that I have some track record on the course as well and I feel good about my own chances going forward.”

The Dubliner began with birdies at the fourth and fifth, before dropping a shot at the par four sixth.

He moved to two under at the ninth and then a brilliantly faded a fairway wood into the 11th green left him with an eagle opportunity on the par five. His downhill chip, however, was narrowly wide and he settled for the birdie.

Long birdie putts were then missed at the 13th, 14th and par-three-15th, where he was perhaps guilty of playing too conservatively. Another glorious fairway wood landed him 100 feet from the pin on the par-five-16th and his first putt moved him to within six feet. Again, he was just off target when within striking distance.

With Westwood wayward off the last tee and appearing to strain his groin as he struck an awkward second, Harrington had a chance for drive his late dominance home but pushed another birdie putt wide and took his par.

Poulter looked on course for a two shot lead but a double bogey at the last dropped him to four under. The Englishman played the front nine in five under par and picked up another birdie at the 10th before hitting a bit of a speed bump at the 13th and 14th.

He recovered at the 15th to stay on course for a very impressive round, without having birdied any of the par fives, but fell apart on the 18th for a 68.

Graeme McDowell was slow to start but finished one under, as did playing partner Steve Stricker – the highest ranked player in the field at third in the world.

Sean O’Hair and Justin Leonard were first into clubhouse, the former on one under and the latter at level par after a costly double bogey at the 15th.

Canada’s Mike Weir once looked out of the reckoning on five over but put four consecutive birdies together on the way in to finish with a 73.

Paul Casey is propping up the leaderboard on three over after struggling to an opening round 75.