คำตอบที่ 162
Harrington still cannot believe he is Open champion
Tony Jimenez, Reuters
Published: Monday, July 23, 2007 Article tools
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* * * * CARNOUSTIE (Reuters) - New British Open champion Padraig Harrington was still in a state of disbelief on Monday after securing his first major victory by beating Spain's Sergio Garcia in a four-hole playoff.
"It's hard to describe, it's unreal, especially in those quiet reflective moments when I am on my own," the 35-year-old Irishman told reporters.
"I was standing in the shower and I thought: 'I won the Open championship'."
Harrington was caught up in a frenzy of commitments until he left the course at 2300 on Sunday to start partying.
The likeable Dubliner, whose victory lifted him to sixth in the world rankings, said he did not overdo the celebrations after becoming Europe's first major winner since Briton Paul Lawrie won here eight years ago.
"The first drink I had was a beer straight out of the claret jug," said Harrington. "There was champagne spraying and celebrations and we moved into a party mode.
"I only had a couple of drinks though. I was flying anyway and there was no need for any outside help.
"I was in a good mood and will be for the next week, next year or maybe even 10 years."
Harrington finally went to bed at four a.m. but did not sleep for long.
"I was wide awake at six and woke my wife up," he said. "The claret jug was at the end of the bed;, we both looked at it and we were still in a state of disbelief.
"But then she said: 'Can we go back to sleep now?"'
Harrington said he was concentrating so hard in Sunday's final round at Carnoustie that he had few clues about events going on around him.
"I was very much in the zone and had no idea (Argentine) Andres Romero ever led this tournament," he said. "It was only at half past 11 last night I heard he was two shots ahead when I was playing the 14th.
TELEVISION COVERAGE
"I just had no concept. I can't wait to see the coverage on television although I might turn the sound down when they're talking about me on the 18th," added Harrington in reference to the two balls he hit into the water on the final regulation hole.
Now that Harrington has achieved his dream of becoming a major champion, he will plough on in search of more glory.
"Before he won a major, Phil Mickelson always had it right when he said: 'I'm going to win more than one major'," said last year's European number one.
"The importance of having a goal of winning more than one is that if it's your one and only goal it's not far off the finish of your golf.
"You always have to have a goal to keep moving forward so I'm definitely focused on winning more than one major."
Harrington said he had received telephone calls from Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern and Sports Minister Seamus Brennan plus a flood of text messages from friends and European and American golfers.
Before leaving his post-championship news conference, he spared a thought for his Ryder Cup team mate Garcia.
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