Eagle relief for Harrington in tight match against Westwood

MARANA, Arizona (Reuters) - Ireland's Padraig Harrington breathed a sigh of relief after squeezing past Ryder Cup team mate Lee Westwood in the opening round of the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship on Wednesday.

Harrington, last year's European number one, never led until winning a tight match with a 40-foot eagle putt on the 19th hole at Dove Mountain's Gallery Golf Club.

"I had a 10-footer on 18 to win the match and when I missed that I did not feel good going into the playoff holes," the Irish world number 10 told reporters.

"I felt that was a great opportunity missed."

Harrington then hit a good tee shot at the par-five first, the opening extra hole, before finding the heart of the green with his second.

However, Briton Westwood set up a tap-in birdie there after chipping from the right of the green to within two feet of the flag.

"Lee hit it stone dead and I'm in a difficult enough position with my putt," said Harrington, who reached the Accenture Match Play Championship quarter-finals in 2004 and again last year.

"I'm putting up over a tier and up and over a hill but I did know the line from having played the hole the first time around.

"When I hit the putt, I knew it was on a good line. It probably would have gone a few feet by, so I was happy enough to see it hit the back of the hole and drop."

Harrington, who will meet U.S. Ryder Cup player Stewart Cink in Thursday's second round, said his par-four at the 12th had been pivotal to his success.

"I was two down, had just lost 11 carelessly and all of a sudden I'm not playing 12 well," added the Irishman, who was bunkered off the tee at the 362-yard 12th.

"I'm struggling and I'm looking at a 12-footer to avoid going three down. Making that putt was key for me.

"The difference between three down with six to go and two down with six to play is huge for me."