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Padraig Harrington beats Daniel Berger in playoff to win Honda Classic

Three-time Major winner Padraig Harrington claims his first PGA Tour title since the 2008 US PGA Championship by winning a playoff at the Honda Classic.

Irishman Padraig Harrington won his first tournament on the PGA Tour since victory in the 2008 US PGA Championship by edging out young American Daniel Berger in a playoff at the rain-affected Honda Classic.

The 43-year-old made a par on the second playoff hole at PGA National after 21-year-old Berger, who was chasing his first PGA Tour title, put his tee shot at the par-three 17th into the water.

The pair were surprise contenders in the playoff as those who led the way for much of the tournament lost their way in the final round, which was played over two days in Florida.

After stormy conditions brought an abrupt end to proceedings during round three on Saturday, the leading pack of Englishmen Ian Poulter and Paul Casey, as well as America's Patrick Reed, still had plenty of holes left to complete today.

Poulter and Casey led by one shot from Reed at the start of Monday's action, but none of them could record victory, with bogeys and worse a regular occurrence.

Poulter went in the water on several occasions during the final round, carding a double and triple-bogey on the back nine, but ended up only a shot behind Berger and Harrington by finishing with two birdies.

Casey had only nine holes to play on the final day, but wasn't able to make a single birdie as he also finished one behind Berger and Harrington.

It was a poor back nine from Reed too, as he led on seven-under at the 15th tee before four dropped shots in three holes saw him plunge to four-under.

Harrington had a sluggish front nine, but then stormed back into contention with five birdies in his last eight holes - four in a row from 11-14 before holing a 15-footer at the last to force the playoff with Berger, who had come from nine shots behind Poulter with a six-under 64 on the final day.

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Pascal Lemesre
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