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| Harrington claims Order of Merit | Harrington claims Order of Merit |
| (4 days later) | |
| Padraig Harrington snatched his first European Order of Merit title after a dramatic final round at the Volvo Masters in Valderrama. | Padraig Harrington snatched his first European Order of Merit title after a dramatic final round at the Volvo Masters in Valderrama. |
| India's Jeev Milkha Singh was the shock winner of the tournament but all the attention was on a tumultuous battle for the European number one spot. | India's Jeev Milkha Singh was the shock winner of the tournament but all the attention was on a tumultuous battle for the European number one spot. |
| Paul Casey was in pole position until virtually the final shot of the day. | Paul Casey was in pole position until virtually the final shot of the day. |
| But when Sergio Garcia bogeyed the last Harrington moved into a tie for second place and the title was his. | But when Sergio Garcia bogeyed the last Harrington moved into a tie for second place and the title was his. |
| href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/video_and_audio/help_guide/4304501.stm">Interview: Order of Merit winner Padraig Harrington | |
| I feel sorry for Paul Casey, but I am just thrilled - it's always something I've wanted to do Padraig Harrington Harrington, who put himself into contention by winning the dunhill links at St Andrews two weeks ago, set up a gripping climax to the day and season when he rolled in a 35ft putt on the 16th - a third birdie in six holes to put him joint third. | I feel sorry for Paul Casey, but I am just thrilled - it's always something I've wanted to do Padraig Harrington Harrington, who put himself into contention by winning the dunhill links at St Andrews two weeks ago, set up a gripping climax to the day and season when he rolled in a 35ft putt on the 16th - a third birdie in six holes to put him joint third. |
| But, perhaps thinking he needed another birdie, he was then short with a bold approach to the long 17th and found the water. | But, perhaps thinking he needed another birdie, he was then short with a bold approach to the long 17th and found the water. |
| The 35-year-old Dubliner, however, showed great courage to get up and down from the drop zone, holing an 8ft putt for par. | The 35-year-old Dubliner, however, showed great courage to get up and down from the drop zone, holing an 8ft putt for par. |
| He then had to repeat the trick on the last after missing the fairway with his drive. | He then had to repeat the trick on the last after missing the fairway with his drive. |
| That left him with a 69 and one-under total but minutes later he was up to the second place he needed as Garcia bogeyed the 13th and 14th. | That left him with a 69 and one-under total but minutes later he was up to the second place he needed as Garcia bogeyed the 13th and 14th. |
| EUROPEAN ORDER OF MERIT 1 Padraig Harrington (Ire), £1,667,6182 Paul Casey (Eng), £1,644,0023 David Howell (Eng), £1,554,9594 Robert Karlsson (Swe), £1,369,9115 Ernie Els (SA), £1,149,6956 Henrik Stenson (Swe), £1,145,1077 Luke Donald (Eng), £1,110,7418 Ian Poulter (Eng), £1,064,527 That was the first time this season Harrington, who finished second to Retief Goosen in 2001 and 2002, had led the race for number one status in Europe. | EUROPEAN ORDER OF MERIT 1 Padraig Harrington (Ire), £1,667,6182 Paul Casey (Eng), £1,644,0023 David Howell (Eng), £1,554,9594 Robert Karlsson (Swe), £1,369,9115 Ernie Els (SA), £1,149,6956 Henrik Stenson (Swe), £1,145,1077 Luke Donald (Eng), £1,110,7418 Ian Poulter (Eng), £1,064,527 That was the first time this season Harrington, who finished second to Retief Goosen in 2001 and 2002, had led the race for number one status in Europe. |
| But then, in an incredible final act, the Spaniard holed a 12ft birdie putt on the 16th to join Singh in the lead at two under and that put Casey in the Order of Merit lead again. | But then, in an incredible final act, the Spaniard holed a 12ft birdie putt on the 16th to join Singh in the lead at two under and that put Casey in the Order of Merit lead again. |
| "El Nino", however, then missed a 10ft birdie putt on the 17th and made a horrible mess of the last - missing the fairway with his drive, finding a bunker with his second and then leaving himself far too much to do with his par putt. | "El Nino", however, then missed a 10ft birdie putt on the 17th and made a horrible mess of the last - missing the fairway with his drive, finding a bunker with his second and then leaving himself far too much to do with his par putt. |
| A bogey there took him back into second place alongside Harrington and England's Luke Donald. | A bogey there took him back into second place alongside Harrington and England's Luke Donald. |
| What doesn't kill you makes you stronger Paul Casey For Garcia it was his 11th top-10 finish in a winless season, and for Harrington it was another in a long line of second-place finishes but without doubt his finest achievement. | What doesn't kill you makes you stronger Paul Casey For Garcia it was his 11th top-10 finish in a winless season, and for Harrington it was another in a long line of second-place finishes but without doubt his finest achievement. |
| He had trailed Casey, who carded a fighting 69 on Sunday, by £147,041 going into the tournament but when the Englishman struggled with food poisoning in the first round the battle was well and truly on. | He had trailed Casey, who carded a fighting 69 on Sunday, by £147,041 going into the tournament but when the Englishman struggled with food poisoning in the first round the battle was well and truly on. |
| The final margin was £23,476 and the most exciting finish to a European season since Colin Montgomerie pipped Sam Torrance on the final green in 1995. | The final margin was £23,476 and the most exciting finish to a European season since Colin Montgomerie pipped Sam Torrance on the final green in 1995. |
| "That was about my 30th second place finish today and it's the one I will remember," said Harrington who became the first Irishman since Ronan Rafferty in 1989 to win the Harry Vardon Trophy. | "That was about my 30th second place finish today and it's the one I will remember," said Harrington who became the first Irishman since Ronan Rafferty in 1989 to win the Harry Vardon Trophy. |
| Not to have won having been number one for so long is obviously disappointing David Howell "I feel sorry for Paul Casey, but I am just thrilled. It's always something I've wanted to do. | Not to have won having been number one for so long is obviously disappointing David Howell "I feel sorry for Paul Casey, but I am just thrilled. It's always something I've wanted to do. |
| "When I finished I did the maths and knew I couldn't afford a four-way tie (for second). | "When I finished I did the maths and knew I couldn't afford a four-way tie (for second). |
| "I saw Sergio afterwards and told him that he owed me one - I lipped out from six feet in a play-off against him in Westchester (on the US Tour two years ago)." | "I saw Sergio afterwards and told him that he owed me one - I lipped out from six feet in a play-off against him in Westchester (on the US Tour two years ago)." |
| Casey was five over after Thursday's first round but fought back over the next three rounds to finish on four over. | Casey was five over after Thursday's first round but fought back over the next three rounds to finish on four over. |
| "I played as good as I could today and I'm happy about that," the 29-year-old Englishman said. | "I played as good as I could today and I'm happy about that," the 29-year-old Englishman said. |
| While most focussed on the Merit race, Singh quietly got the job done"Two-under is one of the best rounds of golf I've actually shot at Valderrama. So what doesn't kill you makes you stronger." | |
| David Howell, who could also have snatched the Order of Merit, was disconsolate when a final round of 71 left him on even par - two shots too many. | David Howell, who could also have snatched the Order of Merit, was disconsolate when a final round of 71 left him on even par - two shots too many. |
| The Englishman, who had led the money list for most of the season until Casey's good form and his own injury problems conspired to knock him out of the top position, said: "It's bitterly disappointing. | The Englishman, who had led the money list for most of the season until Casey's good form and his own injury problems conspired to knock him out of the top position, said: "It's bitterly disappointing. |
| "Not to have won having been number one for so long is obviously disappointing, but it's been a great year." | "Not to have won having been number one for so long is obviously disappointing, but it's been a great year." |
| Robert Karlsson, the other player who flew to Spain with a chance of the money list crown, finished alongside the unfortunate Casey in 21st spot. | Robert Karlsson, the other player who flew to Spain with a chance of the money list crown, finished alongside the unfortunate Casey in 21st spot. |
| And while most at Valderrama were transfixed by the Order of Merit race, the 34-year-old Singh was calmly going about winning his second ever European Tour title and second title this season. | And while most at Valderrama were transfixed by the Order of Merit race, the 34-year-old Singh was calmly going about winning his second ever European Tour title and second title this season. |
| The Indian, ranked 147th in the world, could even afford to bogey the last as Garcia's late slip had also eased his route to his greatest triumph. | The Indian, ranked 147th in the world, could even afford to bogey the last as Garcia's late slip had also eased his route to his greatest triumph. |
| 606 COMMENT: Your views on Harrington's achievement | 606 COMMENT: Your views on Harrington's achievement |