Padraig Harrington retained his British Open title despite a wrist problem which nearly kept him out of the Championship.

After Tiger Woods win at the US Open playing through the pain barrier with a knee injury Harrington showed that pain can concentrate the mind
Harrington said:"On Wednesday I genuinely felt there was a big issue with playing."

His four-shot win over Ian Poulter at Stockport's Royal Birkdale made him the first European to successfully defend the Claret Jug since James Braid in 1906.

"But it was a great distraction for me. There's no question the injury pushed everything about coming back to defend the title to the side."

"There's an element when you're an Open champion or a major champion of trying to live up to it all the time and that can be a burden."

"But the injury took a lot of pressure and stress off me. It was a good distraction to have."

"Another plus was the fact that I played only nine holes in practice and everybody will tell you this has been, physically and mentally, the toughest week we could ever have in golf."

"But I was fresh going into the week. The wrist was a saviour for me really. "

"I think my case is slightly different to Tiger's. He was obviously injured throughout the tournament and it was impairing his ability to perform."

"Mine didn't impair me at all on the course."

Harrington joins Bobby Locke, Peter Thomson, Arnold Palmer, Lee Trevino, Tom Watson and Woods as the only men since the Second World War to retain the title.

Because of his injury his odds drifted pre-tournament and many a canny Irishman may have won substantial amounts from Harrington's victory.