SOTOGRANDE, Spain - Irishman Padraig Harrington won the European order of merit title in dramatic style after finishing joint second at the Volvo Masters on Sunday just a stroke behind India's Jeev Milkha Singh.

Padraig Harrington of Ireland holds his trophy after winning the European order of merit title at the Volvo Masters golf tournament in Sotogrande, southern Spain, October 29, 2006. [Reuters]

A bogey on the last by Sergio Garcia not only cost the Spaniard the chance of a playoff with Singh but contributed to Harrington's maiden Vardon Trophy success as he overtook Englishman Paul Casey to grab first place on the money list.

It was the first time the Irishman had topped the order of merit all season but he was delighted to snatch the crown.

"For 63 holes I played great golf but had too many three-putts and other mistakes but I stayed calm, never lost patience and for some reason the last nine holes were vintage Harrington," he said. "I just willed the ball into the hole."

"Obviously, I feel for Paul Casey, especially after his problems earlier on the week. To lose out like this must be very hard to bear," the Irishman told a news conference.

He finished 23,616 pounds ($44,640) ahead of Britain's Paul Casey in one of the most exciting finishes to the season for 11 years, matching the 1995 success of Colin Montgomerie who holed a three-foot par putt on the last to pip Sam Torrance.

The drama again came on the 18th hole after Harrington had posted a one-under total with a closing 69.

IRISH SUCCESS

With the Irishman watching on a television screen in the players' lounge at Valderrama, Garcia, who would have ended Harrington's chances with a par on the last, bunkered himself on 18 and then missed a 30 foot putt to save par.

That dropped Garcia into a share of second with Harrington and Englishman Luke Donald and provided the first Irish name for the Vardon Trophy since Ronan Rafferty's 1989 success.

He began the Volvo Masters 147,041 pounds behind Casey but an enigmatic display by the 35-year-old Irishman, despite his English rival suffering from a gastric complaint in the first two rounds, did not bode well at the start of the final round.

After throwing in three late bogeys in the third round to settle well back in the pack, Harrington began on Sunday with two bogeys and showed little likelihood of winning.

When he allowed a birdie chance to slip on the 17th, although bravely making par, it looked as though he would fall just desperately short in his order of merit bid, with Casey, who closed with a 69, holding a place in the top 25.

Garcia's 12-footer for birdie on the 16th took Harrington back to third, which was not good enough for the order of merit.

But after the Spaniard missed his birdie chance on 17 and fluffed his second shot into the bunker, the Irishman, who had set up his overall title win with a flawless back nine containing three birdies, came out on top.

Remarkably, it was Harrington's 30th career second place, albeit a highly significant runner-up spot this time.

"When I made my 29th second at the BMW International this year I thought the 30th was going to be a bit of a milestone," Harrington told a news conference. "Sometimes it's very good to finish second. This one adds up to an order of merit."

DISAPPOINTED CASEY

Casey left immediately after the outcome was decided and was not available to comment but he said earlier:

"I certainly want an order of merit on the C.V. before I hang up my clubs. It will be a disappointment if it doesn't happen, but not a crushing disappointment."

David Howell, who led the money list for much of the season until overtaken by World Matchplay Champion Casey last month, finished third on the order of merit after a closing 71 left him sharing fifth at the Volvo Masters with Swede Niclas Fasth.

The Englishman had made a valiant effort this season despite injury problems that caused him to miss several events.

Swede Robert Karlsson, the only other player who could have pipped Casey, faded to a 75 to finish on the same overall score as the unlucky Englishman at the Volvo Masters.

Singh closed with a one-over-par 72 for a two-under 282 total to claim his second victory of the year and earn an $840,000 payday as he followed up a China Open success early in the season that contributed to his Volvo Masters place.