Notes and Quotes from Carnoustie

-- Caddie Ronan Flood__ __(pictured on right), who is married to Harrington's wife's sister, on the 72nd hole: "It was a 3-wood or a driver, and we both liked driver. There was a left-to-right wind, and he hit a bad tee shot [into the burn]. After the drop, I said, 'There's more than one way to make a 4.' And there's more than one way to make a 6, as it turns out. We had a 5-iron, 203 to the front, and he just didn't quite catch it [knocking it into the burn in front of the green]. The up-and-down [with a lob wedge] was phenomenal. It easily could have been a 7."

-- Dr. Bob Rotella, on the drive at the 72nd: "One more half foot and it's over the bridge. That's why golf is a game of mistakes."

-- Flood, laughing, on the putt at the 72nd: "Luckily I didn't look at it--maybe that's why he holed it."

-- Dr. Bob Rotella (says he's worked with Harrington for about five years): "When he made the up-and-down [for a 6 at the 72nd hole], he said, 'Everything I needed to know about myself, I just found out.' "

--Rotella: "When we first started working together, he said, 'Everything has always come hard for me.' Then on the putting green [before the playoff], he said, 'I told you nothing comes easy for me.' "

-- Rotella, on Harrington's son on the putting green before the playoff: "At the putting green, the kid was like an adrenaline rush. Every time Padraig hit a putt, the kid would kick the ball off the green. I said, 'See, Padraig? It's just a game.' "

-- Rotella, on the 72nd hole: "He's worked on acceptance for a long time. It's a hard hole. We said, 'By the end of the week, Van de Velde is going to feel a lot better--there are going to be a lot of guys making 6s and 7s.' "

-- Rotella, on the 18th hole: "He told me earlier in the week, 'All I want to do is make a 4 or a 5.' But what a great hole. It's all we've all talked about all week. A hole like Doral's [finishing hole], there's no comparison: This is the hardest finishing hole in golf, no question."

-- Harrington: "One of the most disappointing days of my life was on this golf course." (His caddie was a little muddy on the details, but says in the 1992 British Amateur Harrington was all square going to the 18th in the semifinals or quarterfinals but hit his second shot out-of-bounds  to lose.)

-- Rotella: "Friday night, he wanted to get into a serious discussion, and I told him, 'We'll have that discussion next week.' "

-- Rotella, on waiting on the putting green before the playoff, "He told me, 'Every time you see my hand like this [Rotella pumps his right hand], that's me lifting the claret jug.' "

-- Harrington: "Miguel Angel Jimenez came up on the first tee [before the playoff] and said, 'Well, we've got a European winner.' "

-- Flood: "It was easy he played so good. He could have shot anything. I've never seen him play so well."

-- Flood: "They say Vijay is the hardest worker; I'd put him [Harrington] against anybody. He's had to tone it down. He can beat balls with anyone."

--On Friday, Harrington said this: "I broke a driver a couple of weeks ago, and I haven't found one I'm comfortable with. The one in my bag this week, I haven't used for a year." After the playoff, Flood said this: "Wilson got him a new driver, and we put it in the bag Saturday." (I'm not great on equipment, but it was a 9-degree Dd6+).

--John Paramor, European Tour rules official, observing Harrington writing his acceptance speech by hand (on a paper, on the underside of the brim of his hat) before the prize-giving: "The man is writing his own speech--brilliant."

-- Flood worked in a bank before taking Harrington's bag: "I quit three years ago to do this, and it's all worth it today." (Flood says his brother went to school with Harrington, "and I've known him forever.")

-- Rotella: "I was talking with Davis Love, and I told him Padraig is as understanding about his game as well as anyone I've ever seen."

-- Flood, when Harrington's mother balked at having her picture taken: "He wants a picture with you--he's the Open champion."

-- Rotella got eight pumps on the back from Harrington shortly before he went out to give his speech.

-- Lehman hung around and gave Sergio a pat on the back. As Sergio departed, he threw four gloves and a ball into the grandstand.