Golf: Woosnam beats Harrington at Wentworth

Ian Woosnam became the oldest-ever winner of the Cisco World Match Play championship at Wentworth with a two and one victory over Padraig Harrington today.

After a morning round of records galore - Woosnam went to the turn in 28, Harrington came home in 30 for a 61- the Dubliner led by two.

Both birdied three of the first four holes in the final today.

Harrington, trying to become the first Irish winner of the title and not leave himself with a seventh runners-up finish of the season, struck first with a 35-foot putt.

Both birdied the short second, Harrington from 10 feet and Woosnam from six, then Woosnam levelled with a 15-footer on the next.

The 501-yard fourth saw two more birdies, twice winner Woosnam finding the green with a four-iron and Harrington needing only a seven-iron.

Woosnam, holder of the championship record with seven successive birdies against Jose Maria Olazabal in 1992, made it five in a row and went two-up on Harrington.

A four-iron to eight feet at the 191-yard fifth was followed by a pitch to seven feet and after Harrington had missed from 12 feet he rolled in the putt again.

Woosnam did indeed go on to equal his own tournament record of seven successive birdies - but amazingly was still only two ahead as Harrington matched the last two of them.

On the 399-yard seventh the Dubliner holed from 11 feet, but Woosnam followed him in from nine, and at the 398-yard eighth Woosnam converted his 12-footer and Harrington had to make a six-footer for a half.

It was breathtaking stuff from the pair of them. Woosnam, 43, needed a par on the 450-yard ninth to set a new championship record of 28 (seven under) for the outward half and Harrington required a four to be out in 30 for the third time in the week.

Woosnam levelled with a curling 20-foot birdie putt on the 15th, Harrington failing to hole from 14 for a half.

Harrington hit a poor drive down the next, but hit a superb recovery to seven feet and holed for birdie and a one-up lead again.

The momentum had switched again and Woosnam took six at the long 17th to fall two down.

He drove wildly right, then three-putted. Harrington, on in two, was given a birdie, but meant he needed one more on the 531-yard last to equal the European tour record of 12 birdies in a round.

Woosnam’s par four at the 19th was enough to bring the deficit back to one when they resumed. Harrington missed the green, chipped to five feet and missed it.

Harrington then made an eight-footer on the next for par and Woosnam missed from six to fall two down again.

Harrington went three up for the first time when he holed an eight-footer at the 21st for yet another birdie after Woosnam had missed from 12.

Harrington presented Woosnam with the 25th, driving into a ditch and not even forcing the Welshman to putt. The difference was now two with 11 to play.

The 26th was shared in birdie threes, Harrington holing from five feet after Woosnam had made a nine-footer, but they then went from the sublime to the ridiculous.

Harrington’s wayward drive down the 27th finished in the trees and as he went to play his second the ball moved a fraction and he called a penalty on himself.

Woosnam, with the hole there for the taking, flew the green and was unlucky to avoid a ditch - a ditch which Harrington then went in when he misjudged the wind as well.

Eventually Harrington conceded after six shots, with Woosnam on the edge of the green in three.

Now, with nine to go, Harrington was only one-up again.

Woosnam just missed a 12-foot chance to win the 10th as well, but made no mistake from 15 feet at the next and was back to all square with seven to play.

Woosnam had the initiative again and it told when Harrington failed to get up and down from a bunker at the 30th and fell one behind.

Harrington dug a deeper hole for himself by bogeying the 13th. He went right with his approach and left his difficult chip on the fringe.

Woosnam led by two with only five to play now, but the 43-year-old Welshman, winner also in 1987 and 1990, fought back to collect the £250,000 first prize when he sank an eight-foot birdie putt on the penultimate green.

For Woosnam it was a first victory for more than four and a half years. For a disappointed Harrington it was a seventh runners-up finish of the season.