Pádraig Harrington’s incredible win record at En-Joie Golf Course has come to an end as the 54-year-old narrowly missed out by losing to Dicky Pride on the first playoff hole after the pair went head-to-head in the final grouping on Sunday, both finishing with a total tally of 18-under.
Harrington took a one-stroke lead into the final round and was rock solid on Sunday, making seven birdies on his way to shooting a six-under-par 66.
Harrington’s only mishap came at the par-4 13th, where he made a bogey – with Pride doing the same thing. Pride made one more birdie than Harrington, posting a seven-under round.
Pride was one stroke ahead of Harrington heading into the last, with Harrington needing a birdie to push to a playoff and the three-time major winner did just that.
The playoff took place at the par-4 18th, with many thinking the advantage lied with Harrington as he had just birdied that hole. Unfortunately for Podge, that wasn’t the case. Pride found the fairway with his tee ball, putting him in prime position to make a textbook par. Harrington’s drive found the rough and he missed the green in his second shot, forcing Harrington to come up short with a bogey.
For Pride, the 56-year-old secures his second career win on PGA TOUR Champions in his 136th career start – his first title since the 2021 Mitsubishi Electric Classic and ending a five year winless drought.
“After the Simmons Bank Championship last year, I called and said ‘we gotta get better, it’s gotta get better’, and I went to work the week after,” Pride said in a post-tournament interview.
Tyrone’s Darren Clarke bounced back from his disappointing one-over-par second round with a six-under 66 on the final day to see him finish T11 at 12-under.
Clarke was on fire on the front nine, making five birdies before making two more and a bogey on the back nine.
USA’s Matt Gogel took third place with a final score of 17-under, followed by J.J. Henry in fourth at 15-under.
PGA TOUR Champions debutant Michael Block was on his way to posting a final round heater as the 50-year-old was eight-under through 17, setting himself up to a top five finish before butchering his final hole – making a triple bogey at the last to finish T9 at 13-under.
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