BOCA RATON, Fla. (AP) — Padraig Harrington ran away with the TimberTech Championship on Sunday for his second PGA Tour Champions title of the year, birdieing six of the first seven holes in a seven-stroke victory.
A shot ahead after opening rounds of 67 and 66 on The Old Course at Broken Sound, Harrington shot a 7-under 64 to finish at 16 under in the second of three Charles Schwab Cup playoff events and final playing of the tournament in Florida.
“You want to get yourself into to contention and then when you’re there you want to handle the pressure and the nerves,” Harrington said. “This is why we do it. This is why I’m still doing it at 52 years of age for days like this.”
The Irishman has six champions victories, also winning the Dick’s Sporting Goods Open in June. He’s set to be inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame next year.
Bernhard Langer, the 66-year-old German star with a tour-record 46 victories, tied for second at 9 under with Charlie Wi, who earned a spot next week in the season-season Charles Schwab Cup Championship and wrapped up a full tour exemption for next year. Langer, the winner last year at Broken Sound, had a double bogey on 17 in a 70. Wi closed with a bogey-free 64.
“I was so far back everything is a blessing,” Wi said.
Ernie Els and Shane Bertsch were 8 under, each shooting 70.
The top 36 players in the Cup standings qualified for the season finale in Phoenix and earned full exemptions for next season. Wi jumped from 54th to 35th, and Rob Labritz took the 36th spot. Kevin Sutherland, who didn’t compete because of a back problem, dropped out — going from 34th to 41st.
Steve Stricker skipped the tournament. A six-time winner this season, he has wrapped up the Charles Schwab Cup. Langer is second in the standings, and Harrington is third.
Next year, the second playoff event will have a new sponsor and be played in Arkansas.
