Harrington claims Grand Slam to end drought

Pádraig Harrington hopes he’s got the winning habit again after closing with the sweetest three-putt of his career to win the PGA Grand Slam of Golf in Bermuda and end his two-year victory drought.

The Dubliner fired a four under 67 at Port Royal to finish a shot in front of US Open champion Webb Simpson on nine under par and become the first Irishman to lift the title and just the second European winner since Welshman Ian Woosnam in 1991.

Asked if he’d be celebrating, Harrington added: “Absolutely I’m going to make sure I enjoy this win because even in your very, very, very best year, you might have three or four wins. It just doesn’t happen as often as people think, so when it happens, you’ve got to enjoy it.”

It was his first victory for 738 days and his cheque for $600,000 was his biggest pay day since he finished joint second behind Tiger Woods in the 2009 WGC-Bridgestone Invitational.

The 41-year old was a late stand-in for injured British Open champion Ernie Els. But having lost the Grand Slam title in play-offs at the Mid-Ocean Club in 2007 and 2008, he completed some “unfinished business” this time by notching first victory since he claimed the Asian Tour’s Iskandar Johor Open in Malaysia exactly two years and one week ago.

While he is missing out on the chance to return to the world’s Top 50 this week, the world No 57 believes the future is bright and that he can contend for majors and tournament wins before he retires.

“I believe I’m playing really good golf,” said Harrington, who still has tournaments in Singapore, Hong Kong and Dubai this season. “I see a lot of good things happening and I do believe that I’m turning the corner into a peak.”

Asked if he could add to his haul of three majors, he said: “You don’t know what’s going to happen in terms of winning and winning majors. They are not that easy to come by.”

Leading by two from Bubba Watson overnight, Harrington drove the 380-yard fifth and two putted for birdie to remain two shots in front of the Masters champion and US Open winner Webb Simpson on six under.

His lead was down to just one stroke through seven holes when Watson followed a bogey the fourth with birdies the fifth and seventh while Simpson also birdied par-five seventh.

But while Simpson also birdied the 193-yard eighth to get to get to six under, Harrington holed a crucial 35 footer there to match him and remain a shot in front.

Watson birdied the 10th to join Simpson, just a shot behind Harrington on six under par. But the left-hander dropped three shots coming home as he bogeyed the 15th and double bogeyed the par-three 16th for a 71 that left him tied for third with Keegan Bradley (67) on three under.

Harrington grabbed the tournament by the scruff on the neck by hitting sensational approaches that led to a hat-trick of birdies at the 11th (four feet), 12th (four feet) and 13th (10 feet) and a four-shot cushion over Simpson with five holes to play.

The American birdied the 14th to reduce the gap to three and when Harrington safely negotiated the terrifying, 235-yard cliffside 16th in par to remain three ahead with two to play, he knew the title was his.

A Simpson birdie at the 17th added to the drama but the American couldn’t chip in for birdie at the last and Harrington would three-putt for a four under 67 and the narrowest of victories on nine under par.

PGA Grand Slam of Golf

(USA unless stated, par 71):

133 Padraig Harrington (Irl) 66 67

134 Webb Simpson 69 65

139 Keegan Bradley 72 67, Bubba Watson 68 71