Spain’’s Sergio Garcia goes into the US Open Championship with confidence riding high after defeating fellow European Tour Member Padraig Harrington of Ireland and South African Rory Sabbatini in a play-off to capture the Buick Classic at Westchester Country Club, New York.
The result lifted Harrington to Number Seven in the Official World Golf Ranking and Garcia to Number Ten, restoring two Europeans in the top ten of the World Ranking for the first time since March 2003 when Garcia was ranked ninth and Harrington tenth.
The three players finished tied on 12 under par 272 to take the contest into extra holes. Harrington had a ten foot birdie putt for the title on the first extra-hole but the put agonizingly lipped out and the Dubliner was then eliminated from the play-off when he bogeyed the second added hole, leaving Garcia to claim the title with a birdie four at the third play-off hole.
It was Garcia’’s second play-off victory in five weeks following his triumph over Americans Dudley Hart and Robert Damron last month in the EDS Byron Nelson Championship. It was also Garcia's second victory in the Buick Classic having previously won in 2001, making him the fifth multiple winner of the title, joining Jack Nicklaus (1967, 1972), Seve Ballesteros (1983, 1988), Vijay Singh (1993, 1995) and Ernie Els (1996, 1997).
“I’’m really looking forward to next week,” said the 24 year old Spaniard. “I just hope to ride that momentum to next week and hopefully get it going in the US Open and give myself a chance on the back nine on Sunday. That’’s all you can ask for.”
Garcia’’s play-off record on the US PGA Tour now reads and impressive won three, lost one. “I’’ve been fortunate enough to do pretty well in play-offs, not only in the US but also around the world,” he said. “I don’’t know why but I have always felt calm and comfortable.”
Garcia won $945,000 to top the $10 million mark in career earnings.
In regulation play, Garcia was the first to finish, shooting a four under par 67 to set the clubhouse target. Harrington matched his total by chipping in from 16 feet from the fringe for a fourth successive 68 and, in the final group, Sabbatini carded a one under par 70 to make it a three way tie for the lead.
There were also strong performances from European Tour Members Vijay Singh of Fiji, who finished joint fourth alongside Fred Couples and Tom Byrum, two shots outside the play-off, and Fredrik Jacobson of Sweden, who finished eighth on eight under par, one stroke adrift of England’’s Luke Donald.
