Harrington: Injury a blessing in disguise

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A month after Tiger Woods became US Open champion on only one good leg, it is even more true now that you should beware the injured golfer, as the saying goes.

"On Wednesday I genuinely felt there was a big issue with playing," said Harrington. "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."

The Irishman became the first European to successfully defend the Claret Jug since James Braid in 1906 after a brilliant four-shot win over Ian Poulter at Royal Birkdale.

He added: "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."