Padraig Harrington came home in 28 strokes to retain his DICK's Sporting Goods Open title in sensational fashion in New York.
Three behind the overnight leaders Ernie Els, Miguel Angel Jimenez and Brett Quigley, Harrington carded a nine-under round of 63 on Sunday to win by a solitary stroke from Joe Durrant, for his fifth victory on the PGA Tour of Champions.
After a relatively uneven front nine, with two dropped strokes thrown in alongside four birides, Harrington parred ten and 11 and trailed the leaders by five strokes.
But it was from there that the fireworks really started.
In an extraordinary stretch between 12 and 17, the three-time major winner rattled in five birdies and a stunning eagle-2 at the short par-4 16th.
Launching to T1 🚀@padraig_h eagles the par-4 16th to grab a share of the lead @dicksopengolf. pic.twitter.com/gFtRGvbUWC
— PGA TOUR Champions (@ChampionsTour) June 25, 2023
His second successive 2 at the par-3 penultimate hole carried him to 18 under. He safely navigated the final hole in par - his first since the 11th - to card a nine-under final round.
Padraig Harrington is on an absolute tear 🔥
— PGA TOUR Champions (@ChampionsTour) June 25, 2023
Defending champ @padraig_h birdies 17 to take a one-shot lead in the final round of @dicksopengolf. https://t.co/j9iqCdWVWV pic.twitter.com/NUQCJBd6U1
Durrant, chasing behind, couldn't find a birdie over the closing holes to draw level. Ernie Els, who had reached the turn in -16, failed to fire on his inward nine.
He did muster a birdie on the short 16th and needed another coming down 18 to force a playoff but he wound up posting bogey-5 to slump to third, handing Harrington his fifth win on the Senior Tour, and first of 2023.
The Dubliner pockets a winners' prize of $315,000 (€288,886). Harrington will defend his US Senior Open title at Stevens Point in Wisconsin next week.
It was another impressive showing for the Irish contingent, Darren Clarke carding a final round 65 to climb to -14 and tied-5th.