<p>Steve Stricker hugs his daughter and caddie Izzi following his win </p>
Pádraig Harrington had to settle for second best to Steve Stricker yet again when he lost to his 2021 Ryder Cup nemesis at the first playoff hole in the KitchenAid PGA Championship in Dallas.
The American closed with a three-under 69 to the Dubliner’s 70 to force sudden death on 18-under par, then took his fifth senior Major with a par on the first extra hole.
It was a second Major win of the season for Stricker, who outgunned the Dubliner in the final round of the Regions Tradition earlier this month. Harrington was one clear of Stricker and a three ahead of Stewart Cink heading into the final round, but felt he’d let the field off the hook by following an opening 64 with successive 68s.
After having to take a drop, this is the shot Padraig Harrington hit
— KitchenAid Senior PGA Champ (@seniorpgachamp) May 28, 2023
Not over yet. #SrPGAChamp pic.twitter.com/iTyI7nLx11
He turned in two-under 34 to Stricker’s 33 to leave them tied heading down the stretch.
Stricker birdied the 11th to nip ahead and after both men bogeyed the 12th, the American chipped in for birdie at the 13th to go two clear on 19-under par.
Harrington birdied the 15th to get back within one before there was drama over the closing holes.
At the 16th, the Dubliner hit his tee shot into the gallery and hit a spectator on the head, getting a favourable bounce in the direction of the fairway.
He handed the man a signed glove, declared that wasn’t enough and removed a handful of notes from his bulging wallet, gifting the man what commentators estimated was $300 for his trouble.
A kind gesture by Padraig Harrington after striking a fan with his drive on the 16th.
— Golf Channel (@GolfChannel) May 28, 2023
: #SrPGAChamp on @NBC and @peacock pic.twitter.com/KHMUioFqEA
Both men overshot the par-three 17th and made bogeys to set up a dramatic finale.
Harrington needed a birdie at the par-five 18th and he got it two putting from around 40 feet for his four as Stricker laid up but failed to get his birdie after an average third.
Returning to the 18th for the playoff, Harrington drove into the penalty area on the right but after opting to play from deep grass on a downslope, he drilled his second deeper in the hazard and had to drop out.
Stricker had laid up short of the green in two but while Harrington lashed a great fourth to around 15 feet and had that to extend the playoff after the American missed his birdie putt, he failed to hole it.
Stewart Cink was third on 16-under, two shots outside the playoff after a 69 with Darren Clarke tied for fifth on nine-under-par after a closing 72.
Article Link: Harrington outgunned by Stricker in playoff for KitchenAid Senior PGA - News - Irish Golf Desk