Padraig Harrington’s return from injury to competition was given a huge lift when he birdied his closing three holes for a second day running at the Maybank Championship in Kuala Lumpur.
The effort, and in Harrington’s first event for some four months, handed the triple Major winner, a round of 69 for a five-under par total and a share of 30th place in the co-sanctioned event.
Aussie Scott Hend made amends in losing out in a play-off at both the 2016 and 2017 Omega European Masters to capture a third European Tour title in dramatic manner with a birdie at the first extra hole from Spain’s Nacho Elvira.
For a second day running Padraig Harrington birdies his closing three holes at the 2019 Maybank Championship. (Photo Getty/European Tour)
Elvira was playing his second shot up the final hole when there was a large lightning thunderclap at the top of his back swing.
Moments later, play was halted with both Hend, at 15-under par, and Elvira, needing a birdie to tie his rival, on the putting surface.
There was then a delay of one hour and 40 minutes with Elvira returning to hole his 30-foot birdie putt but with Hend missing his birdie for an eventual par and send the event into a play-off.
Hend then hit the base of a tree with his tee shot and also hit another tree with his second, but on both occasions his ball miraculously returned to the fairway before the Florida-based golfer proceed to land his third to three-foot for a victory birdie to Elvira’s par.
“I’m a grinder and a fighter,” said Hend. “So is my caddie Tony (Carolan – former Tour player and now his coach), we both have the same mental attitude. It doesn’t matter how old we are, we work hard at what we do. It just takes a bit of luck to win.
“Obviously I had a bit of luck on the play-off hole. If you don’t have any luck you won’t win. I had the luck today, unfortunately for Nacho. His time will come, he’s going to win. He’s a great player.”
Harrington had not competed since ending last November’s Nedbank Challenge also with a 69 for then T35th result.
And Harrington’s three-hole finish on the Saujana Resort course brilliantly mirrored his birdie hat-trick to end day three while over the four days he played the closing three holes in seven-under and with just the one bogey at the 16th on day two.
Harrington’s prize cheque of Euro 21,506 at into 208th on the Race to Dubai.
Harrington’s not entered this week’s Hero Indian Open and with his next event possibly the Valero Texas Open in San Antonio, and if so, it will be his first in the US this season after having to withdraw due to his wrist injury from events at Pebble Beach, Riviera and most-recently the Honda Classic where he’s won twice.
