July 23, 2007	Monday	Rajab 07, 1428

CARNOUSTIE (Scotland), July 22: Padraig Harrington won the British Open here on Sunday defeating Sergio Garcia in a four-hole play off as once again Carnoustie threw-up a high-drama finish over its closing stretch.Garcia had come agonisingly close to winning his first major when his 10-footer for the trophy lipped out at the 72nd and last hole.

But it was Harrington who took charge of the ensuing playoff grabbing what proved to be a decisive two-stroke lead at the first with a birdie to Garcia's bogey.

The 35-year-old Irishman was in no mood to let his advantage slip and after both men had parred the next two holes, he came to the 18th and last with a two-stroke advantage.

Harrington played it safe laying up in two and forced Garcia to go for a birdie which he failed to do settling for a par.

The Irishman then calmly sunk a three-footer to clinch the biggest win of his career.

Harrington is the first European to win a major since Paul Lawrie who triumphed the last time the Open was held at Carnoustie in 1999. He is also the first Irishman to win the Open in 60 years, since Ulsterman Fred Daly at Hoylake.

Garcia's long wait for a first win in a major goes on having led the field by three strokes going in to the final day.

Harrington started the day tied for third, six strokes adrift of the Spaniard, but three birdies on the front nine put him firmly in contention as the Garcia struggled and a magnificent eagle-three at the 14th gave him the lead.

Playing two groups behind, Garcia bounced back to level with back-to-back birdies at the 13th and 14th making it a two-horse race going into Carnoustie's devilishly tough closing quartet of holes.

Harrington took a one shot lead into the 18th but looked to have blown his chances as twice he plunged his ball into the Barry Burn that winds down the 18th hole and across the front of the green for a double bogey six.

But minutes later, Garcia, needing a par at the last to win his first major, sent his approach into a bunker and then watched in agony as his 10-footer for the trophy lipped out of the hole to force the playoff.

Both had finished the 72 holes with seven-under totals of 277, Garcia closing with a 73 to Harrington's 67. Third place, a further shot back, went to unheralded Andres Romero of Argentina in a remarkable round of 67.

Completed final-round scores:

277 – Sergio Garcia (Spain) 65, 71, 68, 73; Padraig Harrington (Ireland) 69, 73, 68, 67. (Harrington wins by one shot in a four-hole playoff).

278 – Andres Romero (Argentina) 71, 70, 70, 67.

279 – Richard Green (Australia) 72, 73, 70, 64; Ernie Els (South Africa) 72, 70, 68, 69.

280 – Hunter Mahan (US) 73, 73, 69, 65; Stewart Cink (US) 69, 73, 68, 70.

281 – Ben Curtis (US) 72, 74, 70, 65; Mike Weir (Canada) 71, 68, 72, 70; K.J. Choi (South Korea) 69, 69, 72, 71; Steve Stricker (US) 71, 72, 64, 74.

282 – Markus Brier (Austria) 68, 75, 70, 69; Tiger Woods (US) 69, 74, 69, 70; Justin Rose (Britain) 75, 70, 67, 70; Pelle Edberg (Sweden) 72, 73, 67, 70; Miguel Angel Jimenez (Spain) 69, 70, 72, 71; Jim Furyk (US) 70, 70, 71, 71; Paul Broadhurst (Britain) 71, 71, 68, 72.

283 – Paul McGinley (Ireland) 67, 75, 68, 73.

284 – Pat Perez (US) 73, 70, 71, 70; Zach Johnson (US) 73, 73, 68, 70; Rich Beem (US) 70, 73, 69, 72.

285 – Mark Calcavecchia (US) 74, 70, 72, 69; Jonathan Byrd (US) 73, 72, 70, 70; Retief Goosen (South Africa) 70, 71, 73, 71; Chris DiMarco (US) 74, 70, 66, 75.

286 – Ian Poulter (Britain) 73, 73, 70, 70; Adam Scott (Australia) 73, 70, 72, 71; Rod Pampling (Australia) 70, 72, 72, 72; Paul Casey (Britain) 72, 73, 69, 72; Lucas Glover (US) 71, 72, 70, 73; J.J. Henry (US) 70, 71, 71, 74; Vijay Singh (Fiji) 72, 71, 68, 75.

287 – Angel Cabrera (Argentina) 68, 73, 72, 74.

288 – Mark Foster (Britain) 76, 70, 73, 69; Niclas Fasth (Sweden) 75, 69, 73, 71; Charley Hoffman (US) 75, 69, 72, 72; Shaun Micheel (US) 70, 76, 70, 72; Lee Westwood (Britain) 71, 70, 73, 74; Boo Weekley (US) 68, 72, 75, 73; Nick Watney (US) 72, 71, 70, 75.

289 – Ryan Moore (US) 72, 72, 74, 71; Rory McIlroy (Britain) 68, 76, 73, 72; Nick Dougherty (Britain) 71, 74, 69, 75.

290 – Carl Pettersson (Sweden) 70, 75, 73, 72; John Senden (Australia) 72, 74, 71, 73; Arron Oberholser (US) 73, 71, 72, 74; Ross Bain (Britain) 73 71 72 74

291 – Lee Won-joon (Australia) 73, 73, 70, 75; Jerry Kelly (US) 74, 70, 71, 76.

293 – Tom Lehman (US) 73, 73, 74, 73; Kevin Stadler (US) 75, 71, 74, 73.

294 – Gregory Bourdy (France) 70, 72, 77, 75; Thomas Bjorn (Denmark) 70, 75, 74, 75; David Howell (Britain) 72, 76, 73, 75; Brian Davis (Britain) 74, 72, 71, 77.

295 – Anders Hansen (Denmark) 72, 73, 74, 76; Michael Campbell (New Zealand) 68, 78, 72, 77; Scott Verplank (US) 72, 73, 72, 78.

296 – Mark O'Meara (US) 74, 72, 76, 74; Trevor Immelman (South Africa) 71, 74, 77, 74; Toru Taniguchi (Japan) 72, 72, 76, 76.

297 – Jon Bevan (Britain) 73, 73, 79, 72; Luke Donald (Britain) 70, 76, 73, 78.

298 – Raphael Jacquelin (France) 74, 69, 76, 79; Sandy Lyle (Britain) 73, 73, 73, 79.

299 – Alastair Forsyth (Britain) 70, 71, 78, 80; Sean O'Hair (US) 71, 75, 74, 79.

300 – Peter Hanson (Sweden) 70, 74, 76, 80; Fredrik Andersson Hed (Sweden) 72, 71, 79, 78.—Agencies