Padraig Harrington was denied victory in the PGA Grand Slam of Golf by an eagle by Jim Furyk on the first extra-hole of a play-off at the Mid Ocean Course in Bermuda.
It was the second successive year that Harrington lost out to an eagle in a play-off for the title after Angel Cabrera held off the Irishman 12 months earlier.
Harrington and Furyk started the second and final round level after opening 68s and Harrington, winner of The Open and US PGA Championship this summer, looked to be in control when he picked up four birdies in an outward half of 31.
But a drive into the bushes on the 15th, resulting a penalty drop and double bogey six, let Furyk back into the game and standing on the 17th tee the American held a one shot advantage.
More drama followed on the par three penultimate hole with a two stroke swing as Harrington birdied and Furyk bogeyed. But Harrington bunkered his second shot on the par five 18th and, after finding a terrible lie, only just managed to get the ball out of the sand. His chop for birdie lipped out, allowing Furyk two putts for a birdie and a matching 68.
Back they went to the 18th and both players found the putting surface in two. Harrington, putting first from 25 feet, looked to have mad his eagle but the ball hit the back of the hole, popped up and stayed out. Furyk duly stroked home his eagle putt from ten feet for the $600,000 first prize.
“I’m disappointed, but that’s the way it goes sometimes,” said Harrington. “At first I thought I had holed the putt but with hindsight it was a bit hard.
“Last time I went head-to-head with Jim (Furyk) was in the Barclays Classic at Westchester and I holed a 66 foot putt on the last to win. That broke his heart but now he has beaten me.”
Retief Goosen finished third with rounds of 70, 71 for a one over par total of 141, five shots behind, while Trevor Immelman shot a second round 69 and a five over par total of 145.
