Padraig Harrington may never get a better opportunity to snatch a European Tour event after his playing partner Michael Campbell suffered a nose bleed of the highest order down the home stretch, but the Kiwi eventually hung on to win the 2002 Smurfit European Open at the K-Club today.
The majority of the 28,500 spectators who passed through the gates swarmed around the final group to watch the two protagonists - Campbell and Harrington - play out a series of errors which at one stage brought into question who actually wanted to win this event.
By the 13th the outcome looked a forgone conclusion, Campbell was flawless with no dropped shots and three birdies to Harrington’s erratic bogey, birdie combinations. When the Dubliner missed the green long at the par three 14th and failed to get up and down, Campbell had the luxury of a five shot lead with four to play.
In the final three holes Harrington found the water twice, missed a two foot putt at the 17th and still only lost by a shot. "I’m gutted," said Harrington afterwards. "Obviously Michael got so far ahead that he saw the winning post then started bleeding and to be honest it was a chance for anybody else to win the tournament, certainly a good chance for me."
In the end Campbell bogeyed the last four holes for a 73 giving him a six-under 282 winning total and the winner’s cheque for euro515,584. Harrington, bridesmaid yet again (runner-up last year), had endless chances but had to settle for a share of second with Scotland’s Paul Lawrie (73), South African Retief Goosen (68) and Welshman Bradley Dredge (68). All four received euro205,805 each.
The first error, or piece of misfortune as Harrington put it, was landing his five-wood in the water at the par five 16th. "That was one of my best shots today, I played it just right but the wind took it slightly at the end," said the Dubliner who pitched and putted to save par.
Next he missed a two-foot putt at the 17th to make bogey (which cost him euro138,000) and the opportunity to be only one behind going down the last. Both drove-off and Campbell played first, only to pull his four-iron approach into the lake. Harrington, left with 217 yards to the flag, went for the jugular with a six-iron but also found water on the left of the closely guarded pin.
"I kept being given chances, I felt on 18 I was trying to win it there and then. I wasn’t hitting to the middle of the green because it was my opportunity to win and avoid a play-off," explained Harrington who pulled is approach "a little and it drew on the wind."
In the end Campbell pitched and two putted for his final bogey while Harrington needed to hole his putt for birdie from the fringe to force a play-off but failed and lost by a shot.
"I was cruising with four holes to go, I thought this is it I have this one in the bag," said a relieved Campbell. "I think my emotions got too far ahead of myself and I made some ridiculous mistakes. I’m elated with the win but disappointed with the way I finished."
"I feel for Padraig. It’s his home crowd, home country and he had a great chance to win, especially on the 17th. He’s got all the shots and the best short game so one day he’ll do wonderful things," was the Kiwi’s praise for his nearest challenger after recording his fifth European Tour win.
Earlier Goosen had decided Campbell was so far ahead that he had already taken a courtesy car to the airport. On hearing of the Kiwi’s demise he turned around but was never going to make it back to Straffan in time if a play-off was needed.
Of the defending champion, Darren Clarke erased the bad memories of yesterday’s 76 by adjusting his swing midway through the round to play his last 10 holes in six-under for a final round 67, one-under 287.
"Something clicked into place at the ninth, I was standing too far away from the ball and fishing for it a bit," explained Clarke who, "stood two inches closer to the ball and flushed it to be six-under for the last 10 holes."
"I was very disappointed last night, I wanted to try to give myself a decent chance to defend, what happened yesterday was not what I was hoping for."
Eamonn Darcy ended his 31-year European Tour career with a fine 69 for a one-over 289 aggregate, the same as Kilkenny’s Gary Murphy who shot 70. Darcy will focus his attentions on the US Senior Tour when he turns 50 next month. In the meantime, it’s a holiday with his wife while his manager Chubby Chandler tries to sort out invites for his new ‘senior’ either in America or in Europe.
Asked if he felt emotional at this juncture of his career, Darcy wasn’t sure at first. "I haven’t thought about it yet, during the week I went home and I wasn’t in the best of form, I was trying to put my finger on it as to why, and now I think it was probably because it was my last tournament. I think it’s time to get out though and leave it to the young fellas."
"I’ve had a good run (which included four Ryder Cups) and it’s not as if I’m stopping, I’m looking forward to a new start and playing once again with a lot of my pals now." John Dwyer will take invaluable experience from his week at the K-Club despite playing himself out of contention with final rounds of 77 and today’s 78 to finish 11-over 299.
"It’s been a fantastic week, great to make my first European Open cut," spoke a satisfied Dwyer. "I was disappointed with the last couple of days but you have to put that down to experience. It’s all new ground for me and I’ll learn from it when I get back playing on the Irish PGA circuit."
Irish scores and totals
5 under- Padraig Harrinton 72 69 69 73 (283)
1 under- Darren Clarke 74 70 76 67 (287)
1 over- Eamonn Darcy 75 72 73 69 (289), Gary Murphy 72 73 74 70 (289)
11 over- John Dwyer 69 75 77 78 (299
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