Irish golfer Padraig Harrington has come from nowhere to win the US PGA Championship and end Europe’s 78 year drought in the event.
Harrington rallied from three shots behind Sunday to close with a 4-under 66 at Oakland Hills to win his second major on the trot.
Harrington is only the fourth player to win the British Open and the PGA in the same year and he has won three of the last six majors.
The Irishman won the event by two shots from Spain’s Sergio Garcia and American Ben Curtis with Colombian Camilo Villegas and Swede Henrick Stenson finishing in a tie for fourth.
Aaron Baddeley was the best placed Australian, closing with a final round three over par to finish on six over for the tournament in 13th place, nine shots behind Harrington.
Baddeley played solidly in extremely tough conditions that saw just three players finish under par and he secured his best ever finish at the PGA Championships.
“I was close to being right there this week, just not quite, said Baddeley. “I just didn’t get off to the start I wanted for the final round which was disappointing.”
A dropped shot on the final hole saw him lose his grip on his first top ten finish in the event.
“I bogeyed the last hole to miss the top ten so I am disappointed with that. I was thinking if I could at least sneak in to the top 10 it would be some sort of consolation prize,” he said.
Stuart Appleby finished one shot behind Baddeley in 15th place with a final round 72. He described the conditions as ‘brutal’ and despite a strong putting performance, last week’s Bridgestone Invitational runner up just couldn’t quite land the shots.
FINAL AUSTRALASIAN SCORES:
WINNER: PADRIAG HARRINGTON (Ireland) – 3, 277
T13, Aaron Baddeley , +6, 71, 71, 71, 73, 286
T15, Stuart Appleby , +7, 76, 70, 69, 72, 287
T24, Mark Brown , +9, 77, 69, 74, 69, 289
T31, Robert Allenby , +11, 76, 72, 72, 71, 291
T31, Geoff Ogilvy , +11, 73, 74, 74, 70, 291
T39, Steve Elkington , +12, 71, 73, 73, 75, 292
T42, Michael Campbell , +13, 73, 71, 75, 74, 293
T42, John Senden , +13, 76, 72, 72, 73, 293
T68, Peter Lonard , +20, 74, 74, 74, 78, 300
71, Richard Green , +23, 71, 77, 79, 76, 303
Missed Cut:
Brendan Jones , +9, 71, 78
Adam Scott , +10, 77, 73
Nick O’Hern , +10, 74, 76
Scott Strange , +11, 73, 78
Rod Pampling , +11, 70, 81
Mathew Goggin , +16, 81, 75
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