By John Manley
“Disgust” is the term Padraig Harrington chose to describe his reaction to Sunday’s final 36 holes in the Cisco World Match Play Championships at England’s Wentworth Club. For the seventh time in 2001, Harrington settled for runner-up honors, this time to Ian Woosnam, who defeated him 2 and 1 in the final round.
Harrington entered Sunday’s marathon by defeating Sam Torrance, 4 and 3, on Saturday. Woosnam polished off Lee Westwood, 10 and 9, to advance. Harrington reached the semifinal round by defeating Darren Clarke, 5 and 4, which was preceded by a victory over Nick Faldo, 9 and 8, in the first round. Clarke received a first-round bye.
Harrington played exceptionally well on Sunday morning opening a two-hole lead over Woosnam, who also brought out his “A” game. Harrington bagged 12 birdies in that round, shooting an 11-under-par 61 when viewed in medal format.
The lead increased to three up after the third hole of Sunday’s afternoon round. But Woosnam countered with four birdies in a six-hole span, beginning with No. 7, enabling him to go two-up on Harrington. Woosnam did not relinquish that lead through the remainder of the round.
“I certainly don’t look like I want to finish the job off,” Harrington said late Sunday. “I’m reasonably patient, but I’m starting to lose patience.”
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Woosnam earned $367,500 for his victory, while Harrington contented himself with $176,000 for second place.
Irish Pro Championship
Des Smyth prevailed by three strokes over Paul McGinley in the Smurfit Irish Professional Championship at Castlerock. The victory was Smyth’s sixth in this event. He has also won the title in four different decades.
Smyth gave little indication of what was to come when he opened with a 73 on Thursday. After consecutive rounds of 66, he brought a two-stroke lead into Sunday’s finale, in which he shot 68. His total was 273, 19 under par. McGinley, whose Ryder Cup debut has been delayed until next September, shot 69 on Sunday, to finish at 276.
This has been quite a year for the Drogheda-based Smyth, who earlier this year, at 48, became the oldest golfer to win a European Tour event.
McGinley had the honor of lowering the Castlerock standard on Friday by firing a nine-under-par 64.
Third place went to Michael Allan of the Leopardstown Golf Centre, who shot 279. Michael Bannon and Damien Mooney shared fourth place at 281.
European Tour
Paddy Gribben shared 23rd place in the Cannes Open at the Cannes-Mougins Golf Club in France. Gribben shot 278 (71-69-67-71) to finish 10 strokes behind champion Jorge Berendt. David Higgins tied for 28th place at 279 (70-72-69-68).
Golden Bear Tour
P.J. Cowan tied for 13th place in this circuit’s championship at the Bear’s Club in Jupiter, Fla. Cowan shot 287 (70-72-72-73), while champion Hiroshi Matsuo hung up a 276.
PGA Tour
Richard Coughlan was well off the number needed to make the cut in the Invensys Classic, a 90-hole tournament played over three courses in Las Vegas. Coughlan carded 224 (77-71-76), when he needed 209 to advance to weekend play.