Harrington captures 137th Open Championship

Padraig Harrington bagged the 137th Open Championship at Royal Birkdale Golf Club, Southport, England for the second straight year beating Greg Norman and Ian Poulter.

Two weeks ago, Padraig Harrington was at home practicing with an injured left wrist. As the 14th ranked player in the world, he was not 100% sure he can continue to play in the Open Championship and on the eve of the Open Championship Padraig Harrington tweaked the wrist again then said his chances of finishing the Open were just 50-50.

"If you ask, me my best trait over the years, it's always been my ability to learn, to look around, take the best of everything and try to put it together. I do enjoy that end of things. And I do believe I'm getting better with time.” said Harrington, 36, who now has 13 European Tour titles.

Padraig Harrington first had to take the lead from Norman, which he did on the par-3 12th when Norman missed a 10-foot par putt. Then came a late charge from Ian Poulter, who made a 15-foot birdie on the 16th and saved par with a 15-footer on the final hole for a 69 that looked like it might be good enough to win.

But the Irishman responded with clutch shots of his own. He hit a 3-wood into the wind to 40 feet on the par-5 15th and got down in two putts for birdie, giving him a two-shot lead. Standing in the 17th fairway, still aware that Norman could make eagle and stay in the game, Harrington hit a 5-wood that bounded onto the green and up the ridge, stopping 4 feet away for eagle.

That gave him a four-shot lead, and he knew it was over when his tee shot found the 18th fairway.

Padraig Harrington joined a long list of back-to-back champions at the Open, including Tiger Woods, who did it in 2005 and 2006. But it's been more than 100 years since a European golfer pulled off the double. You have to go back to Scotland's James Braid in 1905 and '06. Before that, it was the great Harry Vardon, who won a record six Opens and won consecutive titles in 1898 and '99.