Harrington charges

PADRAIG HARRINGTON charged through the field in the final round of the Travelers Championship in Connecticut yesterday.

The Dubliner, who started the day 11 shots behind third round leader Justin Rose, carded seven birdies in his first 15 holes to get to 13 under par for the tournament and tied second at that point as the leaders started their final rounds.

Harrington had birdies at the second and third to turn in two under but then the fireworks really started. A birdie at the tenth was followed by four in a row from the 12th.

In attempting to go for the flag at the par three 16th, however, he found the rear greenside bunker and failed to get up and down to drop his first shot of the round. He parred in to finish on 12 under 268.

Rose was attempting to provide a fourth European win in successive weeks on the European tour, a sequence he started himself at the Memorial Tournament three weeks ago. Lee Westwood and Graeme McDowell – at the US Open – had continued the trend.

Rose’s main challenge seemed set to come from former British Open champion Ben Curtis, who birdied the opening hole but Ryder Cup player Scott Verplank matched Harrington’s 64 to set a clubhouse target of 14 under.