Brilliant Harrington comes from behind to collect third major title

Published on Sunday 10 August 2008 23:58

PADRAIG Harrington broke a 78-year European jinx as he won the 90th US PGA Championship at Oakland Hills, winning back-to-back majors in the process after a nerve-wracking duel with Sergio Garcia.

Harrington became the first European since Scotland's Tommy Armour in 1930 to win the year's final major and the first man since Tiger Woods in 2006 to record consecutive major wins, the world No1 also having won the Claret Jug and Wanamaker Trophy back to back. It also delivered a third major in six attempts for the Irishman – although it was not without a terrific battle against Garcia that stirred memories of their Open play-off at Carnoustie in 2007, as well as with the American 54-hole leader Ben Curtis.

One month after successfully defending his Open championship crown at Royal Birkdale, Harrington held off the challenge of playing partner Sergio Garcia with a four-under-par 66.

The Irishman edged ahead by sinking an eight-foot birdie putt at the par-3 17th before ramming in a 15-footer to save par at the last for a three-under-par total of 277.

Spaniard Garcia, bidding for his first major title, bogeyed two of the last three holes for a 68 and a tie for second with Curtis, who closed with a 71.

Harrington conceded good fortune had played its part in his title triumph – although the Irishman's own steely determination not to be rattled by his 74 on Friday was a crucial factor ahead of his successive 66s on Saturday and yesterday.

"I was very assured at the Open, but I hit some of the wildest shots here on Friday and it's hard to believe I'm here now," said Harrington. "I knew I'd get the chance. You have to stick in there and take your chance when it comes."

Despite losing out in such dramatic and heartbreaking circumstances again, Garcia believes he has the talent to win a major trophy. "If a couple of things had gone differently, we could have been talking in a different way," he said. "But Padraig had a very good back nine, while I had a good front nine. When I needed a few things to go my way, they didn't.

"It's been hard, but a great experience. It's going to happen sometime if I keep knocking – someone will open it."

Curtis, the surprise Open champion at Sandwich in 2003, appeared to have fought off the European challenge of Garcia, Harrington and Sweden's Henrik Stenson over the opening holes – having gone into the rain-delayed fourth round with a one-shot lead over the Swede and fellow American JB Holmes with a third-round, two-under-par 68 just 140 minutes previously.

Playing in three-man groups and with the backmarkers starting on the tenth tee to try and get back on schedule after losing half the day's play to rain yesterday, Curtis got off to a great start and briefly forged three ahead by rolling in a seven-foot birdie putt at the opening hole. However, it did not take long for the fast-starting Garcia to cut the deficit to one on the tough, undulating layout.

Widely regarded as the best player in the modern game without a major victory, the Spaniard also birdied the first by sinking a four-footer before eagling the second after hitting a superb second shot to six feet.

Garcia, who won the biggest title of his career at the Players Championship in May, conjured another birdie at the 294-yard, par-four sixth.

Although he pulled his tee shot there into the right rough, his recovery from a tangly lie ended up five feet from the pin and he rammed in the putt to join Curtis at three under.

Curtis, in the group behind Garcia, also birdied the hole after two-putting from the fringe short of the green to edge one stroke clear. The American, who had seemed unflappable in the wet, blustery conditions, surrendered the lead with consecutive bogeys from the eighth.

After missing the fairway and failing to reach the eighth green in two, he missed a par putt from five feet and also faltered at the ninth after finding the left bunker off the tee.

Like Curtis, Garcia had been in trouble off the tee at the ninth but got up and down from the back left rough to save par. Harrington charged into a share of the lead at three under with birdies at the tenth, 12th and par-three 13th, where he struck a five-iron to 12 feet and knocked in the putt. However, the Irishman bogeyed the 14th after finding thick rough behind the green with his approach to slip back into a tie for second with Curtis before the American birdied 14.

Meanwhile, Alastair Forsyth enjoyed his best finish in a major after closing with a level-par 70 , which was enough to earn him a share of tenth place.

The 32-year-old Paisley golfer, who failed to qualify for the Open but tied for 60th in the US Open earlier this year, cancelled out bogeys at the seventh and 15th holes with birdies at both par 5s, the second and 12th, to end his week five over par on 285.

SCOREBOARD

Leading third round scores & totals. USA unless stated, par 70.

277

Padraig Harrington (Ire) 71 74 66 66.

279

Sergio Garcia (Spa) 69 73 69 68.

Ben Curtis 73 67 68 71 .

281

Camilo Villegas (Col) 74 72 67 68.

282

Steve Flesch 73 70 70 69.

284

Phil Mickelson 70 73 71 70.

Andres Romero (Arg) 69 78 65 72.

285

Jeev Milkha Singh (Ind) 68 74 70 73.

Justin Rose (Eng) 73 67 74 71.

Alastair Forsyth (Sco) 73 72 70 70.

286

Aaron Baddeley (Aus) 71 71 71 73.

Ken Duke 69 73 73 71.

287

Paul Casey (Eng) 72 74 72 69.

Graeme McDowell (NIrl) 74 72 68 73.

Prayad Marksaeng (Tha) 76 70 68 73.

David Toms 72 69 72 74.

Stuart Appleby (Aus) 76 70 69 72.

288

Robert Karlsson (Swe) 68 77 71 72.

Brian Gay 70 74 72 72.

Boo Weekley 72 71 79 66.

Angel Cabrera (Arg) 70 72 72 74.

289

Retief Goosen (Rsa) 72 74 69 74.

Fredrik Jacobson (Swe) 75 71 70 73.

Mark Brown 77 69 74 69.

Brandt Snedeker 71 71 74 73.

Nicholas Thompson 71 72 73 73.

290

Jim Furyk 71 77 70 72.

291

Robert Allenby (Aus) 76 72 72 71.

Sean O'Hair 69 73 76 73.

Paul Goydos 74 69 73 75.

Chris DiMarco 75 72 72 72.

Ernie Els (Rsa) 71 75 70 75.

Ian Poulter (Eng) 74 71 73 73.

Geoff Ogilvy (Aus) 73 74 74 70.

D.J. Trahan 72 71 76 72.

292

Steve Stricker 71 75 77 69.

Rory Sabbatini (Rsa) 72 73 73 74.

Steve Elkington (Aus) 71 73 73 75.

293

Michael Campbell (Nzl) 73 71 75 74.

John Senden (Aus) 76 72 72 73.

Mike Weir (Can) 73 75 71 74.

Tom Lehman 74 70 75 74.

Briny Baird 71 72 73 77.

294

Dean Wilson 73 73 77 71.

Michael Allen 70 75 71 78.

Billy Mayfair 69 78 75 72.

Carl Pettersson (Swe) 71 74 76 73.

Charles Howell III 72 76 77 69.

295

Peter Hanson (Swe) 71 73 75 76.

Charl Schwartzel (Rsa) 77 70 73 75.

John Merrick 73 75 70 77.

296

Anthony Kim 70 75 74 77.

James Kingston (Rsa) 72 76 74 74.

Tim Clark (Rsa) 76 72 73 75.

297 Pat Perez 73 73 79 72.

Justin Leonard 74 71 72 80.

298

Steve Marino 73 74 75 76.

John Mallinger 72 75 77 74.

Chez Reavie 78 70 78 72.

299

Paul Azinger 72 76 76 75.

Mark Calcavecchia 71 76 76 76.

Niclas Fasth (Swe) 73 73 75 78.

Corey Pavin 75 73 73 78.

Kevin Sutherland 76 71 77 75.

300

Hiroyuki Fujita (Jpn) 77 70 76 77.

Peter Lonard (Aus) 74 74 74 78.

301

Bubba Watson 75 73 77 76.

303

Richard Green (Aus) 71 77 79 76.

304

Rocco Mediate 73 74 72 85.