Harrington holds off Garcia, Curtis to wrap up memorable PGA Championship By Christian Davis The week of Aug. 4-10 at Oakland Hills Country Club in Bloomfield Township was one that will not soon be forgotten by local golf fans. And when Ireland’s Padraig Harrington knocked in his 15-foot par putt on the 18th hole, he made it two major-tournament wins in a row — he won the British Open in July — and secured his third major tournament title overall. Harrington fired a 4-under 66 to win the championship with a total score of 277 (-3), beating Spain’s Sergio Garcia — who held the lead throughout most of the final round — and Ohio native Ben Curtis, who endeared himself to football fans by wearing Detroit Lions colors all week, by two shots. Harrington and Garcia battled head to head throughout the back nine, with Harrington making clutch putts at the final three holes to secure the title in dramatic fashion. When Harrington addressed the media following the tournament, he pointed to his decision to go for the green at the par-5 12th hole — where he eventually made birdie — after hitting his tee shot into the trees on the right as one of the defining moments of the final round. Harrington trailed Garcia by two shots at the time. “I knew the situation. I knew what I (had) to do,” Harrington said. “You get chances in a major tournament on the back nine, and you’ve got to take them. You’ve got to realize that, and I was in a situation where I have got to take my chances. I knew I was playing catch-up somewhat, and those are the moments that change tournaments, when you take shots on like that and they come off.” Not the only winner Standing on top of their chairs next to the 18th green on the final day of the PGA as Harrington sunk his winning putt, Oakland Hills member Ryan Milliken said it was surreal seeing the championship being played out on his home course. “It’s weird,” the 16-year-old Davisburg resident said. “We’ve been watching the best golfers in the world walk the same fairways as us. There’s Padraig putting where I goof around. I hang out right there.” West Bloomfield resident Randall Jacobs and his son, Matt, 10, braved the rainy and unseasonably cool weather, coming to the tournament for three rounds. “My son wanted to come, so I wanted to keep him happy,” Randall Jacobs explained. “The kids are having a blast out here. On (hole) No. 2, they said, ‘Good luck Mr. (Rocco) Mediate,’ and he looked at them and said, ‘Thanks very much boys, I’m going to need it today.’” Mary Jane Phillips of Farmington Hills and her friend of 20 years, Lynn Allen, of Toronto were in attendance for the first round of the tourney, and just being there was a reward in itself. Last summer, Phillips and Lynn attended the 2007 British Open in Carnoustie, Scotland. When they returned home, Phillips was diagnosed with ovarian cancer and told that she wouldn’t live past Christmas. Despite the prognosis, the friends got tickets to The Masters in Augusta, Ga., held this past April. “(Lynn) said we’re going to be on the 18th green Sunday at Augusta, and we were,” Phillips remembered. Since then, the friends have been determined to be at every major golf championship they can. “We’re also golf groupies,” Phillips admitted. “We know everyone out here from 200 yards away, because we know how they walk.” The duo’s next stop is planned for the 2009 U.S. Open at Bethpage Black in New York. “To be with your best friend and watch your favorite sport,” Lynn said, “it doesn’t get any better.” It seems many of the fans who attended the PGA felt the same way. Sports Editor Susan Shanley contributed to this report. You can reach Sports Writer Christian Davis at cdavis@candgnews.com or at (586) 498-1062. |
