Langer records 50th championship win

Irish golf fans are in for a major treat if Bernhard Langer brings the form that won him the Czech Open yesterday to the Smurfit European Open at the K Club in two weeks. Langer was at his imperious best at the Karlstein club in Prague where weekend rounds of 64 and 63 swept him to a third victory of the season on the European Tour.

Langer, who was six behind at halfway, won by four strokes with a 20-under-par total of 264, the lowest aggregate so far this year. It was his 50th career win, and it could not have come at a better time, on the eve of the US PGA Championship at Winged Foot.

Spain's Ignacio Garrido who has been duelling for Ryder Cup honours with Padraig Harrington over the last two weeks, put his participation at Valderrama beyond doubt, by finishing second for the second week running. The 25-year-old from Madrid had 71 for 268 to tie at 16 under with Swede Niclas Fasth to take sixth place in the qualifying table with over 366,000 points.

His father Antonio played in the first European team in 1979, so the Garridos will be making history as the first father and son from the Continent to play in the match. The only previous combination was Percy (1933-37) and Peter (1953-69) Alliss, although Ireland have their niche in the Ryder family with the two Christy O'Connors.

For Harrington who was joint 32nd on 276 it is a question of soldiering on after strengthening his hold on the now crucial 11th place in the table, following the operation to re-set Miguel Angel Martin's broken wrist last week. He is still ninth in the table, but it is now clear he will not be able to play, and under the rules, the next fit man will take his place. As long as Martin remains in the top 10, and he is still ninth, the 11th man will be required for the team.

Harrington struggled with his putter throughout the first three rounds and it was the same story in the final stage. There seemed little amiss when he got out in 33 from the 10th, holing from 10 feet for birdies at the 13th and 14th, then claiming a chip and putt birdie four at the 17th.

At eight under with the easier nine holes ahead, he was on target to finish in double figures below the card, but putted badly over the next six holes. He had three on the first green after getting home with an iron at the par five, then failed from three feet at the second and fourth, and missed a birdie chance from six feet at the fifth. It was not until the eighth that he got his fourth birdie, as he ran down a 20 foot chance to recover to eight under.

"I didn't play well and the putting problems went all through my game," he said. "Then I putted horrifically around the turn." So it is with mixed feelings that the Stackstown professional heads for the US PGA Championship this week.

"I am looking forward to it , but I wish was going in a better frame of mind," he added. "It could be that my problems here were caused by the steep slopes and uneven ground. "I had to have my left ankle strapped all week and maybe I was favouring it slightly, and not transferring my weight properly. I was losing my balance and I hit a lot of shots to the right. That is usually the result of staying too much on the back foot."

Harrington won £6,480 sterling and leaves for the US with 288,870 points to his credit. He is 22,086 points ahead of 12th man Jose Maria Olazabal.

Darren Clarke was top Irishman in 20th position after a 68 for 274 which won him £9,000. The Ulsterman was also unhappy on the greens declaring: "I cannot wait to get to the US PGA because these greens have shattered my confidence."

But Langer had few problems in showing that he is now one of the most adept exponents of the long putter. He had 15 birdies, and not a single bogey in his final 36 holes, and made light of the fact that he will be 40 the week after the European Open.

"I feel fit and strong now after a shoulder injury playing volleyball with my children last year sent me on a downward spiral," he said. "As Lee Trevino said : Your golf clubs and ball don't know how old you are"!

Paul McGinley has decisively won the contest for the third place in Ireland's Dunhill Cup team. The Dubliner finished 48th with 71 for 279 to collect £3,520, with his nearest challenger Philip Walton taking 60th place after 72 for 281 to win only £2,320.