Pádraig Harrington eventually got back to winning ways as he battled through the rain and wind at The European Club to collect the Ladbrokes.com PGA Irish Championship for the third year in a row and the sixth time in all.
The last time a hat-trick was achieved in the Irish national championship was back in 1962 when Christy O'Connor, senior, won the fourth of his ten titles.
Harrington closed that yawning gap with a finishing round of one-over 72 and a tournament total of one-under-283 for a seven shots lead over second-placed Brian McElhinney.
Winning the Irish PGA Championship is a far cry from winning the likes of the British or US Open events but, nevertheless, Harrington was pleased with his victory.
"Obviously any time you tee it up in a tournament your want to win it. Whatever that tournament is it's always very pleasing to win. It's a nice feeling especially as I haven't been in that winner's enclosure for a little bit now so it's always nice to get a win in the bag," reasoned the Irishchampion.
"Winning is a habit, there's no doubt about that. The more you win the better, regardless of where you are doing it. It's important to get out there and win. Yeah, it is important to win this week. The magnitude of the tournament is not as great as next week but winning is a habit and it's always good to be in winning form."
He added: "I avoided three-putting this week. I just haven't been dong that this year. I can't afford to give up those shots and it was nice that my putting was right on track this week so that's the most pleasing thing from the week.
"Chipping was solid enough, I was happy with that. Long game was much poorer than it has been probably all year. It probably was at its worst this week and I'm hoping that it's just a blip this week.
"I still have got a little work to do on a few things and hopefully the next couple of days I'll have settled on something."
This was Harrington's first win since the USPGA last August and it couldn't have come at a better time as he goes for his three-in-a-row in The Open at Turnberry next week.
The winner began the last round at two-under for the tournament, four shots ahead of playing partner Simon Thornton but the Huddersfield-born, Newcastle-domiciled Thornton faded away to finish eight over and down the leaderboard.
The championship was disrupted by sea fog for an hour shortly after the players had begun their last round. Harrington had just birdied the opening hole when the hooter went off but laid the basis of success by making birdie at the second, as well, when play resumed.
However, he gave both those shots back at the par four seventh where he was in rough and bunker trouble. On the back nine he birdied 10 and 17 but also bogeyed 12 and 15 - all par four holes - as the rain lashed down.
Europro Tour player McElhinney crept up the leaderboard as others fell in the opposite direction. The Donegal man covered the front nine in one-under 34 with eight pars and birdie three at the fourth. He swapped bogey at 10 for birdie at the long 13th in his round of 72 for 290.
"I'm pleased with my form this week on what is a difficult course. Today's conditions were poor but playing in this type of tournament is good experience for me on the Europro Tour," reflected McElhinney.
11 July, 2009