Harrington finally wins first European event in 2004
IN: News | European PGA | Linde German Masters (2004) | Wrap | by Bruce Young | 13 Sep 2004
Despite his status in world golf, and that he has been one of the leading figures in Europe this season, it has taken Padraig Harrington until this week's Linde German Masters to get across the line in a European Tour event in 2004. He did win in Hong Kong late last year as part of the 2004 season, and has recorded two runner-up placings, but on the eve of the Ryder Cup, he will be pleased to be heading to Detroit with such confidence.
Two weeks ago he missed the cut in Germany at the BMW so this win comes at just the right time for both he and the European Team.
Harrington had to run down a man from the other side of the border in Ireland, namely Graeme McDowell, who appeared to have the tournament in safe keeping until his game, and his world, fell apart over the closing stages of the tournament. After Harrington's shaky start today he looked to be the least of the McDowell's concerns, especially after McDowell had birdied the first. At that stage McDowell led Raphael Jacquelin by five and Harrington by six. Surely this was too great a lead for the talented and now experienced McDowell to squander? After all, the 25-year-old had two European Tour wins to his credit and had already won once and recorded six other top tens in 2004.
But this is golf and there are times when there is no rhyme or reason to what transpires in the heat of the battle. That would prove to be the case today as the McDowell demise began with a double bogey the 9th after blading a bunker shot across the green into water beyond.
With Harrington there to apply pressure every step of the way, McDowell was beginning to struggle. More bogeys were to come for him, halted briefly by a birdie at the 13th, but when he doubled again at the 16th, the horse had well and truly bolted and it was left to Australian Nick O'Hern to apply for the vacant runner up position.
O'Hern had finished off his third round with a painful double bogey at the dangerous 18th but quickly put that behind him with a good start to round four. He was two under through four today and although he could make no further advance on that score, he had done enough to egde Raphael Jacquelin and McDowell out of second place.
O'Hern continues to produce top tens as if from a factory line. This was his ninth of the year and he is now in 7th place on the money list with €1.2 million.
Jacquelin continues to confound many by not having won on the main European Tour but this fine swinging Frenchman will do so soon and when he does, the floodgates will surely open. Not that he is a struggling artist mind you, this placing is his sixth top ten of the year.
Alex Cejka bogeyed two holes late to slip from second to fifth, with Nick Dougherty and Richard Green in sixth. For Green he will rue the par four 18th hole at Gut Larchenhof. On Saturday it cost him a triple bogey and today a double. Simple mathematics will tell how much that cost him, but for Green the sixth place continues a fine season for him. He is now in 14th place on the money list compared with his previous best of 34th in 1997.
Other Australasians in the field were Brett Rumford and Peter O'Malley 10th, Marcus Fraser and Jarrod Moseley, 40th and Michael Campbell 47th.
