A sublime pitch shot on the final hole at Carnoustie by Padraig Harrington, which kept alive his hopes of winning The Open Championship, has been recognised as The European Tour Shot of the Month for July.
The Irishman had been in the Barry Burn twice on the 72nd hole of the Championship Course and knew he had to pitch and putt for a double bogey six to have any chance of featuring in any subsequent play-off.
Under immense pressure and with the eyes of the golfing world upon him, Harrington played the shot to perfection, clipping the ball cleanly off the turf and stopping it four feet from the pin, from where he successfully holed out.
Sergio Garcia, whom Harrington went on to beat in the four-hole play-off, took second place in the eyes of the judging panel for a superb pitch shot to begin his second round in The Open.
After an excellent first round 65, Garcia’s second round looked set to get off to the worst possible start when he pushed his approach to the first hole way right of the putting surface into knee high rough. But with little green to work with, the Spaniard produced an exquisite escape to three feet to save par.
Third place also went to a shot from The Open and another from Harrington. After having secured his place in the play-off, the Irishman was keen to get off to a good start and did just that with a wonderful approach shot to six feet at the first hole for a birdie three which immediately gave him a two shot lead as Garcia bogeyed.
The European Tour Shot of the Month Award is presented to a Tour Member for the shot judged to be the most outstanding during each calendar month on The European Tour International Schedule.
Winners so far this year have been: Retief Goosen of South Africa (January), Mikko Ilonen of Finland (February), South Africans Anton Haig (March) and Charl Schwartzel (April), Justin Rose of England (May) and Argentina’s Angel Cabrera (June). The winning shots from each month are entered towards The European Tour Shot of the Year.
