Harrington grabs Hong Kong victory
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Harrington also won the European Tour opener last year
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HONG KONG (Reuters) -- Ireland's Padraig Harrington clinched a nail-biting one-shot victory at the Hong Kong Open with birdies at the last two holes.
The world number 10 drew level with leader Hennie Otto of South Africa at the penultimate hole before snatching victory with a 20-foot putt at the last in the opening leg of the 2004 European Tour season.
"I got very aggressive at the 16th when I realized Otto was in front by one stroke," said Harrington.
The Irishman finished with a four-under-par 66 and an 11-under-par total of 269 to collect $113,000.
Harrington became the first person to win successive opening events on the European Tour after winning the BMW Asian Open in Taiwan last year.
"A lot of people expected me to win and I'm absolutely thrilled to do just that," he said.
He started the day one shot behind leader Christopher Hanell of Sweden and collected three birdies on the front nine to go 10 under, but at the par four 10th he lost his ball in the woods after a wayward tee shot.
He was penalized one shot but limited the damage to a bogey.
Otto made a late charge, with birdies at three of the last four holes, and nosed ahead before Harrington's remarkable finish.
Darren Clarke of Northern Ireland, Thomas Bjorn of Denmark, Chris Gane of England and last year's winner, Fredrik Jacobson of Sweden, were tied for third on 273.
One shot further behind in a tie for seventh was South Africa's James Kingston, Hanell and Thai Prayad Marksaeng, the best-finishing Asian in this penultimate leg of the Asian PGA Tour.
Jose Maria Olazabal of Spain, a winner here in 2001, shot 66 to finish on a five-under 275 and tied for 10th. England's Nick Faldo was in joint 15th.
China's Zhang Lian-wei, in second place on the Asian PGA Tour order of merit race, ended on 280 after shooting 69 on Sunday. He finished tied in 35th place.
Zhang trails India's Arjun Atwal in Asia. The winner, who will be decided at this week's Volvo Masters Asia in Bangkok, will earn an automatic berth for next year's British Open.
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Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
