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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Garcia clutch in playoff


Sergio Garcia, of Spain, tees off on the second hole during the Buick Classic in Harrison, N.Y. on Sunday. 
 (Associated Press / The Spokesman-Review)
Associated Press

Sergio Garcia made a good argument Sunday that he’s the best player never to win a major championship, a backhanded compliment that he might not have to worry about for long.

The 24-year-old Spanish star warmed up for the U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills with a playoff victory in the Buick Classic at Harrison, N.Y. It was his second extra-hole win in five weeks.

“I’m really looking forward to next week,” Garcia said. “I just hope to ride that momentum to next week and hopefully get it going there and give myself a chance on the back nine on Sunday. That’s all you can ask for.

“I’ve just got to keep doing the things I’ve been doing and hopefully I will win one soon. I think it’s just a matter of time.”

Garcia won the fifth playoff in the last seven years on the Westchester Country Club course, beating Rory Sabbatini with a 7-foot birdie putt on the third hole. Padraig Harrington was eliminated on the second extra hole.

Garcia, who beat Dudley Hart and Robert Damron last month on the first playoff hole in the Byron Nelson Championship, earned $945,000 for his fifth PGA Tour victory and second in four years on the Westchester course. He improved to 3-1 in playoffs.

“I’ve been fortunate enough to do pretty well in playoffs, not only here but also around the world,” Garcia said. “I feel pretty comfortable in them.”

He set up his winning putt on the par-5 18th with a 90-yard wedge shot, after Sabbatini’s 70-yard third shot failed to reach the upper level of the green and rolled 21 feet below the hole.

“I thought, ‘Oh, man, this going to be perfect, it’s going to get over the crest of the hill, and it’s going to trickle over the other side,’ ” Sabbatini said. “When I saw it go down, it was a bit of a surprise and a bit of a disappointment.”

The South African’s birdie putt finished 3 feet from the hole.

“I can’t complain,” he said. “Unfortunately, I didn’t get to make the putt.”

Garcia had a 14 1/2 -foot birdie putt to win on the second playoff hole – the par-4 17th – but ran it 3 feet past.

Harrington, an eight-time winner on the European tour who is winless on the PGA Tour, dropped out with a bogey on the second extra hole after the missing a 7 1/2 -foot birdie putt to win on the first hole – the 18th.

“It just straightened out a little bit at the hole and just missed on the high side,” the Irish star said. “It was a pity.”

All three players birdied the 18th in regulation to finish at 12-under 272.

Fred Couples (68), Vijay Singh (70) and Tom Byrum (71) tied for fourth, two strokes back. Luke Donald (72) was another stroke back, and Fredrik Jacobson (69) followed at 8 under. Kenny Perry had the best round of the day, a 66 to top a five-player group at 7 under.

Champions Tour

Allen Doyle won the Bayer Advantage Celebrity Pro-Am at Parkville, Mo., after the final round was canceled because of rain.

Overnight rain made The National Golf Club of Kansas City course unplayable Sunday, and officials shortened the tournament to 36 holes.

Doyle finished at 13-under 131 for his first Champions Tour victory of the season and first since winning the Fleet Boston Classic in August. Jerry Pate, who matched the course record with a 7-under 65 Saturday, was second at 12 under.

Andy Bean, Mark James, Bob Gilder and David Eger finished four shots back.

Scottish PGA

At Gleneagles, Scotland, Miles Tunnicliff shot a 4-under 68 for a five-stroke victory at the Scottish PGA’s Diageo Championship.

Tunnicliff had four birdies on the Gleneagles course and finished at 13 under for his second European title.

Northern Ireland’s Graeme McDowell was second after closing with a 67.

Steven O’Hara of Scotland (67) and Australia’s Nick O’Hern (71) finished at 7 under. Colin Montgomerie had a closing 72 and finished at 1 under.

Curtis Cup

Michelle Wie helped the United States retain the Curtis Cup with a 10-8 victory over Britain and Ireland at Formby, England.

The Americans have won four straight and 24 overall in the biennial amateur competition, which has been played 33 times.

The 14-year-old Wie beat Nicola Timmins 6 and 5 to give the United States a 7-6 lead. Wie, the youngest player in Curtis Cup history, is part of a U.S. team that doesn’t have a player over 22.

Paula Creamer won her singles Sunday afternoon, Jane Park lost hers, then Elizabeth Janangelo beat Shelley McKevitt 1-up to give the United States an insurmountable 9-7 lead.

Claire Coughlan beat Brittany Lang, but Annie Thurman downed Danielle Masters for an outright win.

Britain and Ireland won two of three alternate shots Sunday morning to tie the match at 6.