Padraig Harrington narrowly missed securing his 12th PGA TOUR Champions career victory, after a crucial bogey on the final hole of regulation play led to a sudden-death playoff, where he was ultimately defeated by New Zealander Steven Alker at the Cologuard Classic in Arizona.
The 54-year-old Dubliner commenced the final round at La Paloma Country Club in Tucson sharing the lead with Thailand’s Thongchai Jaidee.
Harrington had anticipated a strong challenge from his rivals, and it materialized in the form of defending champion Alker, who fired an impressive six-under 65 to establish a clubhouse target of 15-under par.
The competition remained intense throughout the back nine, with Harrington responding to the Kiwi’s bogey-free 65 by turning in a three-under 33, keeping the pressure on.
Harrington’s lead slipped away following a bogey on the 10th hole, a moment that coincided with Alker’s birdie on the 11th, moving the New Zealander to 14-under.
However, Harrington quickly retaliated with a birdie on the 11th to draw level. Alker then surged ahead again with a birdie on the 16th, only for Harrington to respond decisively with a birdie on the challenging 13th, once again tying for the lead.
A crucial 10-foot putt for a birdie on the 17th propelled Harrington into a one-shot lead as he approached the 18th hole.
Yet, a missed green on the 18th resulted in a bogey, closing his round with a four-under 67 and forcing him into a playoff with the defending champion, Alker.
Alker, also 54, who had remarkably been nine shots off the lead after the first round before carding an outstanding 62 on Saturday, clinched the $330,000 winner’s cheque with a five-foot birdie putt on the par-four 18th in sudden-death.
Harrington received $193,600 for his runner-up finish, elevating his career earnings on the PGA TOUR Champions to an impressive $9.3 million from 67 starts.
This translates to an average prize cheque of approximately $138,000 per tournament for the three-time Major champion, who notably secured both the Senior Open and his second US Senior Open titles last season.