Nerveless Harrington triumphs at Oakland Hills

BLOOMFIELD HILLS, Michigan (Reuters) - Irishman Padraig Harrington putted superbly over the closing stretch to seal his second consecutive major title with a two-shot victory at the U.S. PGA Championship on Sunday.

One month after successfully defending his British Open crown at Royal Birkdale, Harrington held off the challenge of playing partner Sergio Garcia and American Ben Curtis with a four-under-par 66 at Oakland Hills Country Club.

The Irishman edged ahead by sinking a 10-foot birdie putt at the par-three 17th before ramming in a 15-footer to save par at the last for a three-under total of 277.

"I knew that I had the opportunity to get the putt in first," Harrington told reporters of his birdie on the 17th green where Spaniard Garcia struck his tee shot to four feet.

"That was important. I knew if I holed it, I probably would win the PGA. If I missed, Sergio would probably win the PGA.

"So it was down to that and I hit a lovely putt. I read it exactly how I wanted it and it did exactly what I expected."

Harrington became the first European to win the tournament in 78 years, following in the footsteps of Scottish-born Tommy Armour who triumphed at Fresh Meadows in 1930.

He also became the fourth player after Walter Hagen (1924), Nick Price (1994) and Tiger Woods (2000, 2006) to win the British Open and PGA Championship back-to-back.

CRUCIAL PUTTS

"I think I was willing them into the hole at that stage," Harrington said of the crucial putts he holed down the stretch.

"The adrenalin and the pressure help at that point."

The Dubliner, who beat Garcia in a playoff for last year's British Open at Carnoustie, sank a curling 15-footer to save par at the 15th and a 20-foot par putt at the 16th.

Garcia, bidding for his first major title, bogeyed two of the last three holes for a 68 and a tie for second with Curtis

(71).

Colombia's Camilo Villegas closed with a 68 to share fourth place at one over with Swede Henrik Stenson (72).

Garcia, who produced inspired golf for much of the day, drew on the positives after securing his 14th top-10 finish in a major championship.

"That's the way it goes," said the Spaniard, who lipped out with his birdie attempt at the 17th. "The good thing about it is I felt good out there.

"I felt like I played well. I definitely feel like I played well enough to win but unfortunately it didn't happen."

Curtis, surprise winner of the 2003 British Open, held a one-shot lead when the storm-delayed third round was completed earlier in the day and briefly forged three ahead by rolling in a seven-foot birdie putt at the opening hole.

TOUGH LAYOUT

However, it did not take long for the fast-starting Garcia to cut the deficit to one on the tough, undulating layout.

Widely regarded as the best player in the modern game without a major victory, the Spaniard birdied the first by sinking a four-footer before eagling the second after hitting a superb second shot to six feet.

Garcia, who won the biggest title of his career at the Players Championship in May, conjured another birdie at the par-four sixth to reach the turn in four-under 31 and one stroke clear of the chasing pack.

Harrington charged into a share of the lead at three under with birdies at the 10th, 12th and par-three 13th, where he struck a five-iron to 12 feet and knocked in the putt.

However, the Irishman bogeyed the 14th after finding thick rough behind the green with his approach to slip back into a tie for second with Curtis before the American birdied 14.

Garcia dropped his first shot of the round at the par-four 16th where he hit his approach into water and did well to sink a tricky bogey putt from four feet.

Curtis bogeyed the 15th, after driving into the left rough, to drop back into a three-way tie for the lead with Harrington and Garcia before the Irishman broke clear at the 17th.

After he coolly rolled in his par putt at the last to secure his third major victory in six starts, Harrington celebrated by pumping his right fist before removing his cap to acknowledge the gallery.

(Editing by John O'Brien)