The Senior Open: Alex Cejka defeats Padraig Harrington in play-off to seal third senior major win | Golf News

July 30, 2023 admin

Padraig Harrington lost out in a play-off for the second time this year at a senior major; Alex Cejka claimed a dramatic victory on a day where none of the field were able to break par; Vijay Singh ended the week in third place

Last Updated: 30/07/23 8:05pm

Alex Cejka claimed a dramatic play-off victory at The Senior Open

Alex Cejka defeated Padraig Harrington at the second play-off hole to win the Senior Open Championship at Royal Porthcawl Golf Club.

Cejka mixed two birdies with five bogeys and a double-bogey in horrendous conditions at Royal Porthcawl to card a five-over 76, with Harrington posting a final-round 75 to join him on five over after missing an eagle attempt for outright victory on the final hole.

The players returned to the par-five 18th for a play-off, where Harrington tapped in for birdie – after almost holing his eagle putt from off the back of the green – and Cejka two-putted from 30 feet to extend the contest.

Padraig Harrington narrowly missed out on victory in Wales

Harrington then missed the green with his approach on the second play-off hole and could only make par, as Cejka posted a two-putt birdie to claim the win and add to his senior major victories in 2021 at the Regions Tradition and KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship.

“I still can’t believe it,” Cejka said. “It’s been a really tough week. It’s been a really tough two days. I can’t believe I’m standing with the trophy here. Seeing all those great names on the trophy, coming in here with all the pictures and everything, all the guys who won it before me, now holding it myself, it’s surreal.”

Vijay Singh finished third ahead of Michael Jonzon after a final-round 77, while Philip Archer briefly led during his back nine before dropping four shots over the final four holes to close an eight-over 79 and drop to tied-fifth.

US Senior Open champion Bernhard Langer ended the week in tied-seventh on 10 over, with former PGA champion Y.E Yang jumping 44 places on the leaderboard during the final day after equalling the lowest round with a level-par 71.

Some 26 of the 70 players featuring on the final day failed to break 80, with Paul Lawrie carding a 10-over 81 and Colin Montgomerie struggling to a remarkable 17-over 88.