Blue Monster bites Pádraig
The Dubliner brilliantly moved to within two shots of the lead when he fired a 197-yard approach to just 15 feet at the first and holed the eagle putt to get to within two shots of the lead.
But having put himself in position to take a step forward with his game for the first time this year, the triple major winner was reduced to the role of also ran two holes later when he racked up a triple bogey seven at the tough third hole.
As Woods shot a 66 to finish inside the top 15 on eight under, Ireland’s three-time major champion eventually rallied to card a closing 73 — mixing birdies at the seventh, eighth and 16th with bogeys at the ninth, 13th and 15th — to finish just outside the top-10 on eight under par.
His first mistake was to visit the lake on the right of the third with his tee shot. But he then took on too much with his third and found water again as he attempted the 200-yard carry over the hazard with a fairway wood.
Forced to take another penalty drop, his fifth shot airmailed the green and he did well in the end just to drop three shots as he holed a slippery 15 footer for his seven.
It was another frustrating water disaster for Harrington when pushing for victory and a setback in his bid to win for the first time on the PGA Tour since his US PGA triumph at Oakland Hills in 2008.
Many will remember the triple bogey eight he made on the 70th hole of his WGC-Bridgestone Invitational battle with Tiger Woods in 2009 or the quintuple bogey eight he racked up on the par-three eighth in the following week’s US PGA at Hazeltine.
On both occasions, Harrington was pushing hard for victory. In the US PGA, he was tied for second with Woods, one stroke adrift of eventual winner YE Yang before making two visits to the water at Hazeltine’s 167-yard par three.
Harrington admitted before the start of the week in Miami that he has struggled to stay patient when in contention and in pushing too hard, he has made costly mistakes.
“I was in contention a dozen times last year, I just didn’t finish it out,” he said. “I was in the same sort of contention as I am tomorrow [Sunday]. I’m a little bit off the lead. I need a big day.”
Before retiring on Saturday night, he confessed that yesterday’s final round was indeed a test of his mental resole but not a definitive examination.
“It’s a test but it’s not do-or-die, no,” Harrington said. “If it doesn’t work out I’m not going to try something new on Monday.”
With the Masters just over three weeks away, Harrington will no doubt reflect on the many positives of the week as he fine tunes his game before the first major of the season.
And while Graeme McDowell closed with a 75 that left him in the bottom half of the field on one over par, he was upbeat about the state of his game and feeling good about his build-up to Augusta.
“It was a frustrating week overall,” said McDowell, who also fell victim to the third, where he took a double bogey six. “I didn’t keep the ball in play often enough and made too many mistakes with my long game.
“But we’ve a really nice run into Augusta now with the Tavistock Cup this week and some nice time off at Lake Nona. I know exactly what I am working on and I have some good fine-tuning to do. I am really excited about a lot of positives in my game, the short game especially.”
Reigning Masters champion Phil Mickelson visited 14 bunkers as he closed with a 76, but Woods shot 66, equalling his best of the year effort in the second round of the Dubai Desert Classic.
Pleased with his game, Woods said: “It’s definitely getting better, there’s no doubt. I’m putting the pieces together.
“Everything is shaping up and heading the right direction and peaking at the right time, right for Tavistock Cup.”
American Nick Watney was tied for the lead with compatriot Dustin Johnson on 15 under with three to play. But Rory McIlroy was one over for his final round with two to play after a day of wayward driving and uninspired putting.
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