GOLF: A thrilled Padraig Harrington yesterday made it three wins in a row for Europe's Ryder Cup side heading into this week's match in Detroit. Six shots behind with 16 holes to play at the Linde German Masters in Cologne, Harrington charged to a three-stroke victory a week after Luke Donald won and two weeks after Miguel Angel Jimenez triumphed.
In many ways it was the perfect result for cup captain Bernhard Langer. The form of his only world top-10 player had started to become a real cause for concern in the build-up to Oakland Hills.
But, after having laser eye surgery on his left eye last Saturday and then spending two hours on the phone with American sports psychologist Bob Rotella late on Wednesday night, the Dubliner went out and added another €500,000 to his career earnings.
And Harrington is confident the "tight" shoulder he needed treatment on over the weekend will not be a problem at Oakland Hills.
"It was perfect today. I just overdid it practising for four hours on Friday afternoon," he said. "I'm hoping I won't be required to play five out of five matches anyway. This time around Europe is a really balanced team."
The 33-year-old, who has now pocketed over £8 million on the European Tour alone, added: "It feels really good, especially after the last couple of weeks.
"I got back down to basics, but I am surprised to have turned it around so quickly."
An equally pleased Langer said: "I played the first two rounds with Thomas Bjorn and said to him that the one person I was a bit concerned about was Harrington, but Thomas said, 'Don't worry - he'll be fine.' Now he's gone and won.
"I'm delighted for him on a personal level and the run of winners the last three weeks is fantastic. I couldn't ask for anything more."
A 25th runners-up finish of his career loomed large for Harrington, however, when he began the final day with two bogeys and Northern Ireland's Graeme McDowell moved five clear of the field.
But McDowell was twice in water for double bogeys as he fell away to joint third with a 77 and second place was taken by Australian Nick O'Hern.
Harrington's deficit was back to three by the time he birdied the long seventh, but he could never have expected that another at the 469-yard ninth would bring him level.
On the hole Ian Woosnam failed to finish on Thursday after he went splashing around in the lake, McDowell found the same stretch of water from a greenside bunker and double-bogeyed while Harrington made an 18-footer.
The Portrush golfer's failure to get up and down from more sand on the short 11th put Harrington in the lead on his own and he never let it go.
By the time McDowell went in water again at the short 16th the gap was four and Harrington's bogey at the 17th did not matter.
