Looking back to Sunday July 22nd

The Open Championship
Padraig Harrington shoots Even in a 4-hole playoff to defeat 3rd-round leader Sergio Garcia to win the 2007 Open Championship. More drama on the 18th hole of Carnoustie as Harrington took a 1-shot lead into the final hole before putting his drive into the Barry Burn, dropping and hitting his 3rd shot into the Burn again. Saving a double bogey, Harrington fell one shot behind Garcia. Garcia then lipped out the winning par put, forcing a playoff. Harrington is the 1st Irishman to win the Claret Jug since Fred Daly in 1947 and only the 2nd overall. He also becomes only the 2nd player to win the British Open the year after winning the European Order of Merit (money list). Garcia, who took a 3 shot lead into the final day of play, shot a 2-over 73. It's his second 2nd place finish at a Major (1999 PGA Championship). Andres Romero, from Argentina, finished 3rd after a 4th-round 67. Tiger Woods finished at 2 under and in a tie for 12th. He is winless in the first 3 Majors this seasons, only the 5th time he has been winless in the first 3 Majors since wining the Masters in 1997. Richard Green tied the course record with a 64 and finished 4th.

Largest Final-Round Deficit Overcome:
Open Championship History

                Paul Lawrie             Padraig Harrington
Year            1999                    2007
Course  Carnoustie              Carnoustie
Deficit 10                      6
Final Rd        67                      67
>>Both won in playoff

British Open Playoffs>
All-Time
                         Defeated
'07 Padraig Harrington<< Sergio Garcia
'04 Todd Hamilton        Ernie Els
'02 Ernie Els            Stuart Appleby, Steve Elkington, Thomas Levet
'99 Paul Lawrie  <<      Justin Leonard, Jean Van de Velde
'98 Mark O'Meara         Brian Watts
'95 John Daly            Costantino Rocca
'89 Mark Calcavecchia    Wayne Grady, Greg Norman           
'75 Tom Watson  <<       Jack Newton
'70 Jack Nicklaus        Doug Sanders
'63 Bob Charles          Phil Rodgers
'58 Peter Thomson        Dave Thomas
'49 Bobby Locke          Harry Bradshaw   
>> at Carnoustie

2007 Major Champions>
All Won 1st Career Majors
                                                                Major Start
Padraig Harrington      Open Championship               37th
Angel Cabrera           U.S. Open                       31st
Zach Johnson            Masters                 12th
2003: last time all 4 majors won by 1st-time winners

Sergio Garcia has now entered the final round of a tournament with at least a 3-stroke lead twice in his PGA Career, and both times, he has gone on to lose in a playoff.

Sergio Garcia Largest Leads>
Entering Final Round
                2005            2007
Event           Wachovia        Open Championship
Lead            6               3
Final Rd        E (72)  +2 (73)
Result  T-2nd           2nd
>>Lost in playoff both times

Highest Current World Ranking>
Never Won a Major

Adam Scott              5th
Henrik Stenson  7th
Luke Donald             9th
K.J. Choi               12th
Sergio Garcia   13th
>>Rankings entering Open Championship

Carnoustie played easier this time around, despite the rough finishes among the leaders. 18 golfers shot under par in the 4th round, the fewest of any round during this tournament. However, the last time the Open Championship was in Carnoustie, there were 18 rounds shot under par for the tournament.

Rounds Under Par>
Last 2 Open Championships at Carnoustie
                1999    2007
1st Rd  0       24
2nd Rd  7       19
3rd Rd  3       27
4th Rd  8       18

Tiger Woods did not win the Open Championship, marking only the 5th year since winning the 1997 Masters that Tiger has gone winless in the first 3 Majors of the season. Only once in the previous 4 instances did he bounce back to win the PGA Championship.

Tiger Woods as a Pro>
Years Without Winning 1st Three Majors
                PGA Championship
                Finish
2007            ?
2004            T-24th
2003            T-39th
1999            1st
1998            T-10th