Johnson denies Harrington in Portugal Invitational - BBC

Image caption, Zach Johnson shot three rounds in the 60s to win at The Els Club in the Algarve -19 Z Johnson (US); -17 S Cink (US); -15 P Harrington (Ire); -13 T O'Neal (US); -12 MA Jimenez (Spa), M Lundberg (Swe). Selected others: -10 J Leonard (US); -9 D Clarke (NI), R Goosen (SA); R Sabbatini (Svk); -8 E Els (SA), D Duval (US), YE Yang (Kor); -7 J Donaldson (Wal); -6 B Langer (Ger). Zach Johnson shot a seven-under-par final round to hold off Stewart Cink and Padraig Harrington in the inaugural Portugal Invitational at The Els Club in Vilamoura. The event, hosted by four-time major champion Ernie Els on a course he redesigned, attracted a star-studded field for the first officially sanctioned PGA Tour Champions event to be staged in Portugal. Johnson showed the same dexterity with his wedge play as he did when winning the 2007 Masters and 2015 Open to cruise to a two-stroke victory in the groundbreaking $3m event. On a hot but breezy day in the Algarve, Johnson opened with three consecutive birdies and added two more at the seventh and ninth to go out in 31 and take charge of the tournament. Even when Johnson produced a modest wedge shot, as he did on the 11th, he holed the putt from off the green to get to 18 under and place one hand on the inaugural trophy. Six consecutive pars followed before the 2023 US Ryder Cup captain closed with a birdie to finish on a 19-under total of 197. Stewart Cink, leader of the Champions Tour's order of merit ahead of Johnson and Harrington, bogeyed the second hole but bounced back with four birdies to get to within two of the lead on the 15th. He made a two at the short 17th but it was too little too late as the 2009 Open champion finished two strokes behind his compatriot. Harrington, the 2026 US Senior Open champion, drove the ball well but was let down by indifferent iron play and a cool putter. He opened with a birdie and picked up another shot at the fifth but bogeys at the sixth, the 13th and the 16th - after finding water off the tee - prevented him putting pressure on Johnson. "I got off to the dream start and I really felt like the putt going in on seven was key. I had a couple of putts that lipped in that could have lipped out, and that was the difference," said Johnson. "Our host Ernie is all class and what he has done with this facility is so impressive. It's great for us pros but also playable for beginners - and the Algarve generally is easy to love and hard to leave." Image caption, Els finished in a share of 17th on the course - which was previously known as Victoria and hosted numerous DP World Tour events - that he redesigned for Vilamoura Golf Miguel Angel Jimenez shot the second-best round of the day after Johnson, making seven birdies but also two bogeys in a five-under 67 that lifted him to 12 under. Justin Leonard, the 1997 Open champion, fired a closing 65 to finish on 10 under, one ahead of Darren Clarke, who carded back-to-back 68s on the weekend. Els and David Duval were a stroke further behind. Welshman Jamie Donaldson made a charge on the front nine to get onto the edge of contention, making an eagle and two birdies to go out in 32. But although he picked up another shot at 14, he double-bogeyed 16 to end his faint hopes of catching the leaders and left a birdie putt in the jaws on 18 to finish on seven under. Colin Montgomerie began with a 73 and 74 but rallied with a four-under 68 on Sunday to move up to T-46.