Harrington ends European Major drought

Irishman Padraig Harrington ended Europe’s frustrating eight-year drought in the Majors when he claimed a play-off triumph over Spaniard Sergio Garcia in the British Open on Sunday.

Garcia entered the final round with a comfortable three-shot lead but he was reeled in by Ryder Cup teammate Harrington, the reigning European number one, who closed with a superb 67.

In the four-hole play-off, Harrington beat Garcia by one stroke to end what was truly a dramatic final day in Carnoustie.

Overnight leader Garcia lipped out a par putt on the 18th in regulation for the win en route to a 73 while Harrington double-bogeyed the same hole to be denied an outright victory.

In the four-hole play-off, Harrington birdied the first hole which Garcia bogeyed and the Irishman preserved his two-shot advantage till the end, playing it safe on the 18th by laying up before Barry Burn for a bogey. Garcia could only par the 18th.

The last European winner in a Major was Paul Lawrie of Scotland who triumphed in the Open when it was last played in Carnoustie in 1999.

“It's a lot to take in,” an emotional Harrington said. “I think if I had lost it would have been very hard to take but I just stayed positive and convinced myself that with a playoff I would do the business.”

The 27-year-old Garcia felt he did not do anything wrong as his Major chance slipped by him. “It's tough because I don't think I did anything wrong,” he said.

“I should write a book on how to not miss a shot in the play-off and shoot one-over. That’s the way it is. I just have to move on and hopefully do better next time.”

Argentinean Andres Romero flirted with fame with an amazing final round 67 which saw him shoot 10 birdies, two double bogeys and two bogeys and held the lead briefly on the back nine, which he did not register a single par.

“I was aware I was leading. The pressure certainly caught up with me on the last two holes,” he said.

Romero turned in 33 and then birdied the 10th and 11th hole before dropping a double bogey after his ball ended up in an unplayable lie. But he roared back with four successive birdies before buckling under pressure with another double bogey on 17 and a bogey on 18.

Two-time defending champion Tiger Woods failed to deliver a win for his new-born daughter, settling for a share of 12th place after signing off with a 70.

“I got off to a nice start. I was two under through five. If I had gotten one or two more by the turn and added a few on the back nine, it would have been an ideal round,” said the world number one, who was eight back at the start of the round.

Australian Richard Green and South African Ernie Els shared fourth place, two shots behind the play-off duo.

July 22, 2007

Bookmark page with: