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Harrington rolls his putt in to become the first Irish champ in 60 years. For Garcia it's another dismal moment to go into his scrapbook. At this moment I can picture all of Ireland jumping up and down and I can only hope that Pat Ruddy over at the European Club will watch his hip which has just been replaced.
Sun- 7:35 Pm (Scottish time)
You would have to think that Garcia has to make this putt for any chance. He hits another great putt that just doesn't break enough and rolls five feet by. Garcia makes his putt for par and leaves things to Harrington to win.
Sun- 7:34 Pm (Scottish time)
Again Harrington, who could be one of the slowest players in the world has to be thinking just two putt. From 30 feet away he hits a good putt but runs it three feet by, again it will be a tough putt.
Sun- 7:31 Pm (Scottish time)
Lots of drama left as Harrington doesn't hit a very good wedge, pulling it and stopping 30 feet away. He is going to putt first and will give Garcia a bit of a read on his putt. So Garcia is still alive.
Sun- 7:28 Pm (Scottish time)
You know that Harrington is playing for bogey, he bumps a little wedge just short of the burn. Garcia, from about 203 yards away hits an 6-iron that stops 20 feet away. He at least has a chance, it's not very good but a chance.
Sun- 7:21 Pm (Scottish time)
Harrington with a utility club hits it short but in the center of the fairway, He spent a good amount of time thinking what to do with his caddie, who is his brother-in-law. I have to feel that with 270 left, Harrington is going to lay up short of the burn. Garcia takes out driver and wails it left, yes it's in the rough but the lie good. He will have a chance to get it on the green from there.
Sun- 7:19 Pm (Scottish time)
From seven feet Harrington hits a bad putt, missing left This has to give Garcia a bit of a reprieve still it's in Padraig's hands to win 18 is near impossible to birdie so I have to think that Harrington is thinking of making a easy five.
Sun- 7:18 Pm (Scottish time)
Garcia over his putt, you have to think that he has to make this to have any chance. He hits a great putt that skims the left hand edge. Doesn't drop and now gives Harrington a chance to increase his lead to three.
Sun- 7:13 Pm (Scottish time)
Harrington with a five-iron hits what could be a killer blow to about seven feet. I have to think that Garcia is now having to go for the flag, time is running out. Garcia hits a good shot, not as good as Harrington but about 20 feet away which gives him a chance.
Sun- 7:09 Pm (Scottish time)
Harrington is first up and you have to think that all he is thinking of is par-par. He strips it down the middle. Garcia also follows him down the fairway. He has to think that making par won't help, he needs a birdie to put pressure on Harrington.
Sun- 7:06 Pm (Scottish time)
Garcia doesn't hit a good putt and comes up short, Harrington is still two up.
Sun- 7:04 Pm (Scottish time)
Just like what Garcia did, Harrington takes out his putter and hits it perfectly, rolling it just a foot away.
Sun- 6:58 Pm (Scottish time)
After a short walk to the 16th tee, Harrington hits first a utility club and pulls it left. He is left with a similar shot that Garcia had an hour earlier on this hole in which he made par. Garcia from the tee hits an iron and hit a perfect shot that takes a bounce and hits that pins stopping 15 feet away. We could very easily have another two shot swing.
Sun- 6:52 Pm (Scottish time)
From 15 feet Garcia pushes it a bit and makes bogey. Harrington has a chance for a two shot lead and makes the putt, giving him a big lead with three holes left to play.
Sun- 6:48 Pm (Scottish time)
From a tough buried lie in the bunker, Garcia just gets it out and on the fridge of the green.
Sun- 6:48 Pm (Scottish time)
Garcia doesn't hit a good six iron putting it in the face of the front bunker on the green. Harrington from the middle of the fairway hits it ten feet away.
Sun- 6:43 Pm (Scottish time)
Off in the playoff, Harrington wins the toss and uses a five wood off the tee. He splits the fairway. Garcia steps up to the tee with an iron, both players look very nervous as Garcia steps back before hitting his shot into the right rough. Not a bad lie.
Now we should take a second to give you the playoff records, on the European Tour Garcia has won once, beating Harrington in the 1999 German Masters and lost twice. Harrington has 2 wins and 4 losses. On the PGA Tour Harrington has one win over Vijay Singh in the 2005 Honda Classic and one lost to Sergio in the 2004 Barclays. Garcia has won three and lost once.
Last week in the Irish PGA Open, at the European Club Harrington won in a playoff.
Sun- 6:29 Pm (Scottish time)
Ten feet to the championship, Garcia has a good stroke but it's left all the way. It grazes the hole and doesn't drop which brings on a four hole playoff which is the 1st, 16, 17 and 18 holes. Garcia shots 73 for the day.
Sun- 6:26 Pm (Scottish time)
Garcia is a pretty good bunker playing, not as good as fellow Spaniard Seve Ballesteros but still pretty good. He digs in and comes out a little strong rolling 10 feet past the hole. It's now to his putter for the championship of his life.
Sun- 6:22 Pm (Scottish time)
Shot of his life coming up, 247 to the pin, 210 to clear the burn. Garcia has a three iron and the shot seems easy but it isn't. The green is guarded with bunkers in the front and there is out of bounds tight on the right hand side. But the first thing he has to do is make sure to get it over the burn and not to hit it left. He hits it and there is no emotion, no shouting just watching. It looks a bit fat and maybe it is as he falls into the left greenside bunker.
Sun- 6:15 Pm (Scottish time)
One thing is certain, after 32 straight defeats in majors going back to Paul Lawrie's win at Carnoustie in 1999, a European is going to win a major. It was the third longest streak for the Europeans and one that has been talked about a lot. On the 18th tee Garcia takes out an iron. He looks calm and collected, there is not a ounce of concern on his face, you have a feeling that he can do it. A perfect drive for Garcia, but a bit short leaving him about 210 to carry the burn and 235 to the green.
Sun- 6:10 Pm (Scottish time)
Harrington takes another drop and hits his fifth shot to the green. Hits a great shot to within five feet but it's now in Garcia's hands. Garcia makes a routine two putt and now the future of this championship is in his hands. Come to the 18th hole and make par and he wins. At the green Harrington makes his five footer for double bogey. So now it's gone from Harrington's hands into Garia's.
Sun- 6:01 Pm (Scottish time)
Harrington takes a drop and the same time that Garcia hits 5 iron to the back of 17. After the drop, Harrington hits his third shot and again finds the burn in front of the green. Looks like I may of called Pat Ruddy a bit early, sorry Pat.
Sun- 5:53 Pm (Scottish time)
Just got off the phone with Pat Ruddy, who owns the European Club in Dublin, Irleand. Harrington played at the European Club last week in the Irish PGA Championship and won it. Pat reminds me that in 2002 when Harrington finished 5th at Muirfield he finished 2nd at European Club. Pat is tickle pink with the prospect that the Open Championship can go back to Ireland for the first time since 1947 with Fred Daly.At 18 Ernie Els has a 15 footer for a birdie. He just misses and settles for a par and a 69. It's funny, at the start of the day when he played in the rain 69 looked like a good score, but now it's going to get him a share of fourth place. Over at 16 Garcia uses his putter from 45 feet off the green and hits a great putt to within three feet. This could be the shot of the day for him, great shot, great shotmaking at the right time. Now we have Harrington at 18th tee. He doesn't get through the drive and it goes way right, almost like Jean Van De Veldes tee shot in 1999. But this lands short of the burn and almost gets a stroke of luck as it runs across a bridge but it falls off the right side of the bridge into the burn. While this is happening, Garica makes his putt for par and now it's wide open again. Sergio walks to 17 tee which is near where Harrington's ball went into the burn so he knows that Harrington has big problems.
Sun- 5:50 Pm (Scottish time)
Garcia misses his tee shot at 16 and it rolls off the green, leaving him a tough pitch shot to the green. Over at 17 Harrington hits a good putt but misses, making his par. With Garcia is big trouble at 16 it's looking like an Irish day.
Sun- 5:43 Pm (Scottish time)
8 feet for par and Garcia misses it. Again, this is another sign that shows why Sergio Garcia can't win a major now, he just can't make that big putt and the right time. Harrington meanwhile hits 17 in two.
Sun- 5:33 Pm (Scottish time)
Golden oppurtunity for Harrington, seven feet for birdie at the tough 16th hole, he doesn't hit a good putt and misses. Over at the 15th hole, Garica hits a terrible drive is over 260 to the hole. Comes up 50 yards short on his second shot.
Sun- 5:23 Pm (Scottish time)
It is now looking like a two man race. At 18 Romero hits a god-awful second shot at 18 and almost it's it ob left. While that is happening, Garcia steps up to a 10-footer at 14 and makes it for birdie. With that Garcia has now fought back and is tied with Harrington at nine under par. Romero chips up to within seven feet but can't make the putt for par. He makes bogey and in a round of 67 in which he takes just 24 putts, he only makes four pars, the last at the seventh hole.
Sun- 5:05 Pm (Scottish time)
How things are changing, after his birdie at 16, Romero hits a poor drive at 17 into the right rough. At about the same time Harrington hits a great 2nd shot at 14 that gets an Irish bounce and is just 10 feet for eagle. At the 13th hole, Garcia hit a good shot on the par 3, 13th and then makes the 15-footer for birdie. Now while that is happening, Romero tries to hit a long iron out of the thick rough at 17. This is probably going to prove to be the killer blow for him, he hits a terrible shot and in a bit of Jean Van de Velde it hits the cement wall of the burn and it bounces way right out of bounds on the 18th hole. Now it's gut time for Romero, he takes out a utility wood and gets the next one on the green. While that is happening Harrington steps up to his ten-footer and makes an eagle. Meanwhile Els is making bogey at 15 which puts the dagger into his chances and Romero two putts for double bogey. In a span of 15 minutes, Romero went from leading by two to now two behind Harrington.
Sun- 4:45 Pm (Scottish time)
Tiger Woods pars the last hole for a 70 but at 2 under it's down the list. No three-peat, another major gone as he is now 0 for 3 in the majors. His next is Southern Hills, which isn't his favorite course and for the first time is the prospect of not winning a major for the first time since 2004. It will be a sad Grand Slam of Golf with no Tiger in it.
While Tiger is finishing Romero is hitting it to within ten feet at 16. It's been a tough par 3, only two people have birdied it today. Another person that is playing well is Padraig Harrington, he has four birdies and nine pars on his card and before Romero went through his rash of birdies, it looked like he was the person to win. Harrington has been very smooth all week and has the recipe for winning, sailing along under the radar scope.
Sun- 4:45 Pm (Scottish time)
Tiger Woods pars the last hole for a 70 but at 2 under it's down the list. No three-peat, another major gone as he is now 0 for 3 in the majors. His next is Southern Hills, which isn't his favorite course and for the first time is the prospect of not winning a major for the first time since 2004. It will be a sad Grand Slam of Golf with no Tiger in it.
While Tiger is finishing Romero is hitting it to within ten feet at 16. It's been a tough par 3, only two people have birdied it today. Another person that is playing well is Padraig Harrington, he has four birdies and nine pars on his card and before Romero went through his rash of birdies, it looked like he was the person to win. Harrington has been very smooth all week and has the recipe for winning, sailing along under the radar scope.
Sun- 4:38 Pm (Scottish time)
Geez, I go off for a spot of tea and a digestive (English biscut) and what happens, Garcia is screwing the pooch. They have a saying here is England, "to have Bottle" which means playing you best at tough times and Garcia is not doing this. He has a reputation of getting into this position and not being able to amintain it and it's happening again.
Since the fifth hole every part of Garcia's game is shaky, he is steering the ball and now wishing it along. The confidence that he has shown for three and a hof days is gone. He is being pressure from a lot of different sources, Anders Romero has been on a roller coaster since his par at 7. He hasn't par a hole since making birdies at 8, 10, 11, 12 and 14 a bogey at 9 and a double at 12. In a way Romero has the look of the way Garcia was like in 1999 and 2000 when he first turned pro. Romero has been with Angel Cabrera most of the week and he is showing an air of experience and confidence. Last year he went around Hoylake in 70-70-68-71 to finish T8th. This year he is showing more experience as he has now birdied the 15th hole for his ninth birdie of the day.
Sergio has hit a poor drive at five and is force to lay up. Garica hits a poor chip shot and has 20 feet for par, Sticker is also in trouble. While this is happening Andres Romero rolls in a putt at 8 for a birdie. Both Garcia and Stricker miss putts, makes bogeys and Garcia's lead is now down to 3 over Els, Stricker and Romero. The good news for Garcia and the rest of the field, Woods leaves a ball in the bunker at 11, does get it up and down for bogey but it's his second bogey in four holes at at 1 under par is out of the championship.
Sun- 3:23 Pm (Scottish time)
22 times in major championships someone has shot 63 in a major championship. The last time it happened was in the 2005 PGA Championship when Thomas Bjorn did it in the third round. He went on to finish T2nd. The last time a 63 was shot in the British Open was in 1993 when Nick Faldo did it in the second round and Payne Stewart did it in the final round at Royal St. George.
For Richard Green he can put his name on this list of players to shot 63 in a major but his cause is hurt at 18 with a poor drive. He has to lay up short and then is left with 12 feet for par. He misses and with it probably loses any chance at this championship, finishing at 5 under.
Sun- 3:12 Pm (Scottish time)
More challenges to Garcia as Richard Green makes a birdie at 17 while Stricker hits it within a foot at four. So with Green going to 6 under and Stricker to seven, Garcia makes a routine par. At this time Ernie Els makes a birdie at 6 and Anders Romero makes birdie at 8 as both go to 6 under.
Sun- 2:59 Pm (Scottish time)
Another challenge for Garcia, he and Sticker have hit it close at 3, with Steve Stricker inside of him. So a big change could be in the offing if Garcia doesn't make his putt. But Garica has a lot of confidence with the putter and again puts a great stroke on the putt and it goes into the middle of the hole. Then Stricker misses his and just like that Garciaincreases his lead to four. At this point you have to like Garcia more and more.
Sun- 2:56 Pm (Scottish time)
Ben Curtis has 15 feet for birdie at 18 and you have to think that at 3 under he has no chance to win. Even with this birdie to place him four under, with good weather ahead there is no chance. Curtis hits a good putt this skims the left side of the hole. He taps in for a 65 and at three under par will be the leader for a bit.
Sun- 2:46 Pm (Scottish time)
One of the problem areas in Sergio Garcia's game has been the putter. It started about 2002 and what seems to happen is that Garcia misses a putt early and goes into a funk. This happened to him last year playing with Tiger Woods in the final round at Hoylake, he missed short putts at both 2 and 3, making bogeys and writing an early obit. So now it's the moment of truth for Garcia, after a poor drive in which he got a good break and then a mediocre first putt, Garcia has his first test a four footer. Garcia with the long putter has been great with these and again he jams this one in the middle of the hole, his first test completed today.
Sun- 2:39 Pm (Scottish time)
Richard Green who got into the championship at the last moment eagles the 15th hole to go to 5 under, just four back of Garcia. But just like Curtis it could be too little too late as he probably needs a couple of birdies on the tough final four holes.
Sun- 2:34 Pm (Scottish time)
Both Stricker and Garcia make pars. At about the same time Tiger Woods is making bogey at 8 and at 8 back time is running out.
Sun- 2:20 Pm (Scottish time)
After annoucing 173 games in the last four days Ivor Robinson has one more announcement, that for Steve Stricker and Sergio Garcia. During the announcement it's like Moses has rolled back the
Sun- 1:55 Pm (Scottish time)
Shades of 2003 are popping up as Ben Curtis makes an eagle at 14, making a 40 footer. After his bride at 13 he is 6 under for the day and six make of Garcia. He needs to get a few more birdies to at least be at 6 under par to have any chance.
Sun- 1:50 Pm (Scottish time)
Ernie Els tees off. For him it's been a very tough year but as he told some folks by the first tee a good round today could produce the victory that would turn his year around. After a par at the first hole, Els makes birdie at two and three and is in third place just four behind Garica who is making his way to the first tee.
Sun- 1:50 Pm (Scottish time)
Ernie Els tees off. For him it's been a very tough year but as he told some folks by the first tee a good round today could produce the victory that would turn his year around. After a par at the first hole, Els makes birdie at two and three and is in third place just four behind Garica who is making his way to the first tee.
Sun- 1:45 Pm (Scottish time)
Tiger makes a four footer at 5 for his second straight birdie. With the par 5 sixth, a perfect birdie opportunity awaits him but he is unable to take advantage of it.
Sun- 1:45 Pm (Scottish time)
Tiger makes a four footer at 5 for his second straight birdie. With the par 5 sixth, a perfect birdie opportunity awaits him but he is unable to take advantage of it.
Sun- 1:12 Pm (Scottish time)
20 feet for birdie, you have to think that if he can make this he will be off to the races. Woods hits a good putt but it misses left.
Sun- 1:00 Pm (Scottish time)
Chris Ohlmeyer, producers of ABC's British Open telecast is counted down by Margaret his Associate Director. It's been a wild week of long hours of coordinating this year's telecast. As Ohlmeyer gets ABC on the air, 1,000 yards away Tiger Woods tees off in a steady drizzle. You can see the resolve on his face, yes he is nine back of Garcia but you have to think he knows if he posts a good score that Garcia will see that and have added pressure on him. Tiger has had a weird week, after an opening round 69 he has been off his game. It started on Friday afternoon when he pulled his drive into the burn on the first, made double and shot 39 on the front nine. You have to wonder if he gets close how important that missed drive at one on Friday really is.
Still Tiger has the reserves and you know he would love to win this championship my making up 9 shots on the final day. After a perfect drive he is set up.
Sun- 12:00 Pm (Scottish time)
Good Morning from Carnoustie.
Now many have wondered were I have been the last two days. even my wife was wondering if I was still at Carnoustie. Trust me when I say that I have been at Carnoustie, just haven't been able to write.
The fun for me started on Friday when I had three business meeting. On the first one, the person I was with took me over to the Bollinger tent, which is quite an experience. One 52 pound ($104) bottle and an hour later it was off to my next meeting in the Trophy room for another hour of fine cuisine and more drink. After three lagers, on top of the Bollinger I floated off to another area of the tented village for my last meeting with an old friend. Two lagers later, it was off to the hotel for a power nap, so not much blogging got done.
Saturday I had another unpleasant surprise in the tented village when I tested some Scottish bangers, which gave my digestive system a bang. What is a Scottish banger you ask, it's a combination of a hot dog/sausage which sent me off to the hotel for another nap and many runs to the bathroom.
So now it's Sunday and the end of this championship is finally with us. Had a chance to go play golf this morning, but the rain pelting on the window at 7am caused a reaction of my right hand turning off the alarm and having a sleep-in. The weather was so poor at about 11 this morning, that speculation was for a possible delay, a bit like what happened on Sunday in 1988 at Royal Lytham which caused the tournament to spill over to Monday
Now the buzz is all Sergio, he has really had a great week. Many feel that this is going to be his week to finally knock the monkey off his back of not winning a major. Yes Sergio has been a great talent for almost a decade no but he isn't a type of player like Tiger Woods that could play well in most situations on most courses. This week is the perfect storm for Sergio, the course is soft and the greens are slow. With the lack of wind he has been able to handle this course a lot better than he did in 1999, when he shot 89-83.
On top of that you had the emotional start of the week in which Seve Ballesteros retired from golf. Seve put golf on the map in Spain, but along the way he help elevate golf across Europe. Seve was what the Euro was to currency, bringing many countries together as one voice. Spain has had many other find players, the next best is probably Jose Maria Olazabal. Still Spain and Europe have been looking forward to the day in which Garcia will take the mattle of the best Spanish golfer. Still to do it he has to win today and many wonder if he can do it?
With the rain many feel that this is going to be a great advantage for Garcia. If has put the skids on any early morning starters putting a 64 on the board and stealing things. Now as it gets closure to his 2pm tee time the weather is brightening up and it seems that at the allotted time, when Garcia tees off the sun could poke out for the first time in days.
Now Garcia has a three shot lead over Steve Stricker, but after that he is six up on his next closets competitors. So we can see him shot a 72, 73 or a possible 74 and still win. Garcia will be playing with Steve Stricker, who doesn't have the reputation of a player that will go out and win a championship. The only way I see Stricker win it is by backing into it like Paul Lawrie did in 1999 or Ben Curtis in 2003. Stricker has to have Garica do something bad and not have anybody put pressure on him.
