Roman Andrea Pavan proved a real gladiator putting the sword to Padraig Harrington’s goal of ending a two-year winless drought with victory in the Czech Masters in Prague.
Pavan, 29 fought back from a second hole bogey and fall two shots behind Harrington to then birdie five of his inward nine for a round of 67 for a 21-under par tally on Albatross Resort course.
Pavan, and 17-years Harrington’s junior, looked unflappable in the company of a golfer who has won 15 times on Europe including bagging three Majors.
The win is Pavan’s maiden Tour triumph while he is also the 11th different Italian to win on the European Tour win since a first in 1976.
Padraig Harrington looks on as Andrea Pavan wins 2018 Czech Masters (Photo @Europeantour)
Success comes also just a month after Italian No. 1 Francesco Molinari became the country’s first winner of a Major in capturing the 147th Open Championship at Carnoustie, and with Molinari winning both the BMW PGA and Quicken Loans earlier in the year..
“I can’t believe it to be honest,” Pavan said. “You know when you go against great players you have to stay aggressive and that’s what I did. I want to enjoy this success because it’s very difficult to achieve.”
Sadly, it is Harrington’ 27th second place European Tour finish and a first bridesmaid role since being runner-up in the 2010 Irish Open.
Harrington was also looking to capture what would have been a remarkable 15th different country success in his long and illustrious pro career.
“It was a good contest, no doubt about it. I obviously don’t feel like I lost it, Andrea won it for sure. He played great coming home and holed the decisive putts. I get my fair share of wins but it wasn’t my day today,” said Harrington.
“To shoot 20 under par on any golf course, you’ve got to put some numbers together so I’m happy with that, Andrea just finished really well. He played lovely golf all day to be honest and made those birdies. It’s a pity but I’ll settle for this most weeks.
“I’ll give myself plenty of chances to win and I know it’s a numbers game, some weeks it will be my turn for the putts to drop and hit the right shots at the right time.
“I play well on this style of golf course, with flier lies and on these types of greens I can get up and down a lot. It frees me up so I can go for plenty of pins and make birdies. I know I can get up and down from most of the lies. It’s very similar to where I won the Portugal Masters, the right type of golf course for me.
“I don’t feel I have an issue playing against these younger guys, I feel I can certainly keep up with them and I have some good things in my own game. Even from a week like this, you learn more when you get in contention.
“I’m seeing things about my game that I can improve and work on. I’m in a nice place, I just have to keep doing the good stuff and hopefully there’ll be more tournaments like this ahead.”
He had travelled to the Czech Republic after the disappointment of losing his PGA Tour in the last ‘regular’ event of the PGA Tour season in North Carolina.
And though he confessed he landed in Prague without any other clothing than his Stateside ‘summer’ attire, the Dubliner soon warmed to a first time competing in Prague.
Harrington was just two shots off the lead after day one and still two behind following Friday’s play before posting a day three day 65 that was matched by Pavan, and for the pair to be tied at the top at 17- under and three clear of their rivals.
Harrington immediately seized the initiative with a first birdie and went two ahead of Pavan when the Italian dropped a shot at the second and while both birdied the sixth, Harrington went three ahead with a birdie, and for a third day in a row, at the par-5 ninth hole.
But the birdies dried-up and with Pavan, and ranked 253rd in the world and 93 spots ahead of Harrington, joining Harrington in the lead with birdies at 10 and 12.
Pavan then went one clear in sinking a 25-foot birdie from the edge of the green at the water-surrounded par-3 16th before the killer blow in finding the bottom of the cup with a 15-footer for birdie at the 71st hole.
“Padraig has got so much experience, such a great player and he played lovely,” added Pavan.
“The putt on 16 was massive. It could have easily gone both ways, he was ahead of me most of the day but after I got ahead I stayed aggressive.”
Harrington’s post third round prediction somewhat jumped-up to haunt him when remarking he felt his 65 on Saturday had come ‘a day too early’.
“That round just took a lot of out of me, a lot of focus.”
That was no more evident over the closing few holes when Harrington seemed more intent on marshalling spectators with mobile phones.
Harrington’s comfort is that it is his best finish anywhere in nearly two years since capturing the Portugal Masters.
He should also move back to 212th on the World Rankings.
