Padráig Harrington won the €81,000 Irish PGA Championship at The European Club for a fourth time but needed a play-off to end the challenge of Headfort pro Brendan McGovern.
It was a great performance from McGovern who never gave up against the World No.10 and indeed looked a likely winner when leading by one stroke going to the last hole after Harrington had run up a triple bogey seven at the 17th.
But the Ryder Cup ace pulled out a birdie at the last to level the argument, forcing the players down the 18th again where misfortune was lurking for McGovern who drove into rough off and subsequent penalty drop. He was also wide right from the green with his approach and sent his recovery five feet past the flag while Harrington two putted from 45 feet to clinch victory.
It capped a frenetic end to the tournament in which horrendous conditions on Friday had meant that the last five matches had to play 36 holes on the final day with McGovern taking a two shots lead into the last round.
He carded a morning 66 to Harrington's 70 and it was real matchplay between the pair with McGovern never behind until the 15th hole where Harrington completed a hat-trick of birdies and the challenger went two behind with bogey five at 16.
Then drama. Harrington drove into rough off the 17th tee and his second shot landed behind a bush from where he had to take a penalty drop, running up triple-bogey seven and falling one shot behind again. It looked McGovern's title for the first time but Harrington produced that final birdie to force the shootout.
"It's 13,000 euros or whatever for winning here and you could get 150,000 dollars for being 10th in other places but nothing beats winning," smiled Harrington.
McGovern earned €8,500 for second place and Philip Walton, also a four times winner, was third 13 shots behind the leaders.
Afterwards Irish regional secretary Michael McCumiskey paid tribute to millionaire sponsor Dermot Desmond who backed the event to the tune of €50,000 through his companies Sporting Emporium and betchronicle.com.
"Dermot contributed immeasurably to the success of the event and we're indebted for his support," said McCumiskey.