Padraig Harrington joins the legends' league

So perhaps this was the week designed to make this people's champion understand how special he is. The Tiger, of course, was hors de combat but the finest tribute to the quality of Harrington's triumph was that even Woods would have been hard pressed to surpass his superlative inward nine - four-under par 32, played in formidably testing windy conditions - which saw him turn this most open Open into a four-shot rout.

If the US Open had been about the one-legged hero, then here was the one-armed bandit. The wrist injury which made it doubtful he'd compete at all ended up being his secret weapon, because the problem distracted him from the "stress" that goes with being defending champion.

Third-round leader Norman having one of his famed old erratic final rounds helped too, although it would be churlish to resurrect Jack Newton's description of him as the Great White Fish Finger after a 53-year-old part-timer gave us the most exhilarating of vintage rides. When Ian Poulter set the target at seven-over par 287 with the best golf of the day, it served only to make Harrington top it sublimely.

At the par-five 17th, the low, perfectly-arrowed five wood which sailed 249 yards between three hungry bunkers to nestle 3ft from the pin must already be enshrined as one of the Open's great championship-deciding shots. It gave Harrington the luxury to savour a triumphant pressure-free victory stroll up the 18th rather than the nerve-wracked visits to the Barry Burn he'd endured at Carnoustie 12 months earlier.

"This year is more satisfying. I feel more accomplished," he said. Victory last year elevated him into the world's top six but he reckoned he never felt comfortable there. Yet today, when he's announced as world No3, he says he won't feel out of place at all.

"My best trait has always been my ability to learn," he said. "I'm maturing as a player and a person. My game's improving all the time and I need it to be.

"If I was standing still I would lose the interest." Now that interest had been reignited by a second major coming along "so much quicker than I thought".

So he'll keep up the workaholic training regime and gym sessions. Mr Woods would be impressed; in his absence, he may see someone who's taken a leaf out of his disciplined book and could well be a much more dangerous opponent by the time the Tiger's back next season.

Harrington found it all a bit weird, although fun, to cope with his first year as Open champion. He even became preoccupied with daft questions like "Should I write my full name now or just 'Paddy'?" because the demands of autograph hunters were so draining. Yet he's sure he'll now be much better prepared for the responsibilities that go with the title champion golfer of the year.

"I don't think winning the second Open will allow me to sign autographs with just the one name quite yet, though," he said. "I'll have to win a few more!" The way Paddy, the honorary Scouser, made history here suggests we can take it as read.