Nerveless Harrington triumphs at Oakland Hills

By Mark Lamport-Stokes

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).