Harrington wins Open in dramatic play-off

23rd Jul 2007

Ireland's Padraig Harrington beat Sergio Garcia in a dramatic play-off finale to win the 136th British Open.

Harrington secured his first major title after a dramatic end to regulation play, twice putting his ball into the infamous Barry Burn on the 18th. Harrington led Spain's Sergio Garcia by one shot going into the last hole and after mishitting his opening shot, found the Burn again with a under-hit four iron.

After looking as if he had choked to Jean van de Velde proportions, Harrington gave himself a glimour of hope after a fantastic up-and-down to register a double-bogey six and post the clubhouse target of -7.

Harrington left the green looking a broken man, surely fearing his best chance to win a major was gone.

"If I'd lost after what happened on 18 I don't know what I would have thought about playing golf again," said Harrington, who had shot 67 on his final round.

After a 15 minute delay it was the turn of Garcia to take on the 18th, needing just a par to win his first major championship. After a solid tee-shot Garcia mis-directed his second into a steep green-side bunker, needing a chip and one putt to win.

His chip was fantastic, leaving him within 10 feet of glory but Garcia's putt agonisingly hit the lip of the hole and failed to drop in.

Garcia's miss set-up the play-off and Harrington surged into a two shot lead with a birdie to Garcia's bogey on the first hole.

After both players secured par's on 16 and 17 Garcia needed to beat Harrington by at least two shots on the final hole if he was to rescue his Open dream.

Harrington decided to play safe after his experience on the 18th an hour earlier and reached the green in three, whilst Garcia was there in two. Garcia two putted, leaving Harrington, having already taken one putt, a four foot shot to win The Open.

As thousands looked onto the 18th green Harrington sunk his putt to win the title of 'Champion Golfer of the Year' and become Europe's first major winner for eight years, after Paul Lawrie on the same course in 1999.

With two European golfers in the play-off it was a win-win situation, although the dramatic finish would always leave one of the two men heart-broken.

Garcia will rue his missed chance in regulation play, just as Harrington would have done if the Spainard had got the par he needed. Garcia has now finished fifth, fifth and second in his last three Open's and now has 13 top-10 finishes in the majors. However, if he is to fulfill his repuation as one of the greatest golfer's of his generation he must convert his talent into a major win.