Garcia and Harrington in play-off

Sergio Garcia and Padraig Harrington were tonight contesting a four-hole play-off for the Open Championship after an extraordinary final day at Carnoustie.

Harrington held a one-shot lead on the 18th tee but twice found the Barry Burn to run up a double-bogey six.

That left overnight leader Garcia one ahead but the 27-year-old Spaniard failed to save par from a greenside bunker, his eight-foot putt catching the left edge of the hole and spinning out.

As in 1999, when the Open was last staged here, that meant a play-off over the first, 16th, 17th and 18th, with sudden death to follow if the pair remained tied.

Garcia's tee shot on the first missed the fairway by a few feet and he dumped his approach into a greenside bunker short of the flag.

From there he could only splash out to 15 feet and missed the par putt, while Harrington converted his birdie attempt from eight feet for a two-shot lead.

Harrington's tee shot on the 16th was pulled left of the green but he was able to putt from long range to two feet to save par.

Garcia hit a brilliant tee shot which bounced twice before slamming into the pin, but it finished 20ft away and he could only two-putt for par.