AS IT HAPPENED: How Harrington retained his Open crown

13 April 2012

18.36 Norman chips from the bunker onto the green as Chris Evert looks on wistfully. The Australian misses a par putt and finishes on a bogey 5. A magnificent effort from Norman, who almost looks teary-eyed. Over to Harrington, who misses a ten foot putt and finishes on par to retain his four shot lead. A sublime effort and a wonderful back nine to secure his second consecutive Open.



18.30 Goodness gracious me. Harrington shows the form of a champion with a sumptuous shot straight onto the green. These are far different scenes from last year's turmoil as Harrington is one shot away from the Claret Jug. Norman, however, hits the bunker.

18.26 Harrington tees off from the 18th, and it's another beauty, in the heart of the fairway. Norman responds in kind with another cracker to sumptuous blue skies and the 19th hole beckoning. Meanwhile, KJ Choi continues his miserable afternoon with an 8 on the par 4 18th.

I've done it again: Harrington celebrates another Open crown

I've done it again: Harrington celebrates another Open crown

18.22 Norman's on for a birdie putt, but it wobbles tantilisingly close. As it is, the Australian makes a par 5. Over to Harrington, who puts for an eagle. The champion opens up a four shot lead.

18.18 KJ Choi's hit three balls off the fairway on the 18th. Meanwhile, back to the Great White Shark, who has to negotiate the rough off the fairway. It's a fair recovery, but not enough to panic Harrington into a case of the yips...

18.10 Harrington hits a sublime shot onto the green on the 17th. It's an absolute ripper, as the Irishman tightens his grip on a second successive Open. Meanwhile, Norman hits his second shot on the same hole, and it's into the rough just off the fairway. The engraver's sharpening his tools as Harrington walks along the fairway to rapturous applause.

18.05: All eyes on the final pair now, and as the holes disappear Harrington looks more and more like an Open champion again. A decent shot into the green is followed by a conservative first putt, and another par. Harrington remains two clear at five over. Norman also pars the hole, and is three behind Harrington.

17.50: Well played to Greg Norman, who fires in a ten footer to birdie, but even more plaudits for Padraig Harrington. A fine drive and approach shot, and two putts from distance gives Harrington a two shot cushion with three holes to play. The Irishman could be on his way to a marvellous second successive Open.

17.38: Hats everywhere being taken off to Ian Poulter with a nerveless and first class putt from around 15 foot to par the 18th and set an imposing target. Seven over par and safely in the clubhouse - Harrington is six over with four to play.

17.30: Norman rattles in a fine putt at the 14th to stay nine over. Harrington makes par to stay ahead.

17.20: Poulter just misses with his birdie attempt at the 17th. It looks like Norman's challenge might be over, as he drops a shot at the 13th to fall back to nine over. Harrington steals the show with a marvellous 15 foot putt to make a priceless birdie.

Ian Poulter came from behind to make a splendid challenge for the Open title on the final day

Ian Poulter came from behind to make a splendid challenge for the Open title on the final day

17.05: Greg Norman agonisingly lips out with his putt at the 12th and is now eight over. Poulter meanwhile fires in a birdie putt at the 16th to superbly move to seven over.

16.55: Goodness me, Poulter has every chance of winning this now. He smashes another superb tee shot at the 16th and could be in line to pick up another shot.

16.30: Norman almost goes into the gallery on the 10th, but gets a lucky break with a decent lie. His approach isn't good enough though, and he misses his 20 foot par putt. Harrington makes his par and we're all level at the top on seven over. As a quick aside the balls appear to be moving slightly on the green.

16.20: Poulter misses an excellent chance for birdie at the 13th - I wonder how crucial that might prove in a couple of hours time.

16.08: Poulter fires in a putt from around eight feet for par and at six over the Englishman is now just two off the lead. He looks more focused now than I've possibly ever seen him.

Amateur Chris Wood playing out of a bunker in his superb final round of 72

Amateur Chris Wood playing out of a bunker in his superb final round of 72

16.06: Harrington might be feeling it now - he carelessly misses a six foot putt for par and slips back to six over. Norman is all over the shop from the tee, but plays fine golf from there and makes par. We're all level now.

1555: Sergio Garcia is out of the hunt - it's official. A first Major title will have to wait for the young Spaniard. Five dropped shots in the first four holes of his back nine leave him on 14 over.

15.50: Good six foot putt from Norman - Harrington misses one of around ten foot and his lead is now just one shot. Difficult to know which one of these stars the galleries would most like to see win - both would be extremely popular winners and both would be great stories.

1551: The galleries erupt as Norman nails his knee trembler at the 7th. He's within one of Harrington now. Meanwhile Poulter nervelessly holes a putt for birdie at the 11th and moves to eight over.

15.40: Chris Wood is making a bit of a name for himself here (it could be a massive name for himself yet), moving to seven over par with some fine consistent golf. He makes par at the tenth and is just three off the lead.

15.38:  Norman looks like he takes the wrong club at the eighth and his approach from 140 yards is well short and he is forced to hole a pressure ten footer to just drop one shot. Harrington plays another text book hole to par and go two clear.

15.25: It might be time to start ruling out KJ Choi soon - he drops another shot at the 6th and slips back to eight over, four over for the day.

15.12: Colin Montgomerie finishes his Open on 18 over after a 76. He gets a lovely hand from the crowd - he might be a controversial figure at times Monty but there's no doubting the affection he's still held in by large swathes of the golfing public.

15.11: Harrington's first disappointment of the afternoon as his attempt for birdie from 15 feet slips by. Norman firs home a five footer for his first par.

Padraig Harrington started his final round superbly at Birkdale

Padraig Harrington started his final round superbly at Birkdale

15.04: What a start for Harrington - a superb escape from the bunker and composed putt keep him on four over. He now leads on his own, with Norman missing a ten footer for par.

14.57: At last - Garcia's birdie putt creeps in at the ninth and he moves to nine over. That's only five shots off the lead, you know.

14.47: Oh dear - not the start Norman would have wanted, but perhaps one many of us feared. His second to the second falls short of the green, and although his approach is decent the Australian misses a short putt for par and falls back to four over. Harrington is now the joint leader after a solid par.

14.38: Paul Casey has probably won shot of the day. A chip from distance from nasty looking rough takes one bounce and drops into the hole. An eagle on the 16th and Casey moves to 13 over.

14.30: A superb short approach shot from Harrington rolls to within inches of the hole and he makes par. Norman finds a bunker with his second, and his escape from the trap isn't his best work. A par putt from distance lips out, and the Shark has to settle for a bogey. Norman only one ahead now.

14.24: Perhaps not the biggest surprise on such a major stage but Simon Wakefield misses a par putt and slips back one shot. KJ Choi misses an even shorter one and he too starts with a bogey.

14.20: Moment of truth arrives for Greg Norman - and he is disturbed by something in the crowd and pulls away. But he bashes his tee shot delightfully down the middle of the fairway.

13.50: Garcia narrowly misses with a birdie putt at the fifth. Frustration is obvious for the Spaniard, who knew beforehand that most putts needed to go in if he was to claim an unlikely win and write a new chapter in Spain's glorious sporting summer.

13.45: Ian Poulter (ludicrously wearing pink trousers by the way) escapes with a par at the first.

Sergio Garcia wasn't happy with his second shot on the first hole

Sergio Garcia wasn't happy with his second shot on the first hole

13.20: Garcia and Goosen bogey the first - not what the doctor ordered - but bounce back to make par at the second.

13.05: Sergio Garcia and Retief Goosen begin their final rounds. They will need to produce something pretty special to win from where they are, but (and no apologies for the cliche) just about anything can happen on the final afternoon of an Open Championship.

1230: Jean van de Velde rolls in a long putt to move to 13 over, one under par for the day. Graeme McDowell meanwhile has moved to 12 over after 10 holes. A reminder that messrs Harrington and Norman go out at 2.20pm.

12.00: This could be a spectacular afternoon at Birkdale - and what a story we could be reporting this evening. Greg Norman, at the age of 53, could be about to make up somewhat for missing out on a mountain of Majors by landing his third Open.

Greg Norman could be on his way to winning the Open Championship at the age of 53

Greg Norman could be on his way to winning the Open Championship at the age of 53



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