Each week on tour, Padraig Harrington and Michael Campbell have a side bet on who will shoot the lowest round each day. On Sunday last, in the final round of the European Open, the stakes were a little higher; and, despite lurching his way down the home stretch like a reluctant sailor trying to rediscover his land legs, Campbell was the winner.

In the long term, though, we must wait to see which of them can first achieve the goal of a major win.

Indeed, like Phil Mickelson, another player in pursuit of that particular ambition, the principal accusation that could be levelled at Harrington on Sunday was that he was too aggressive. Is that a bad thing? Was he too brave with the five-wood approach over the River Liffey on the 16th? Equally, was he wrong to go at the flag, rather than the safety of the middle of the green, with his "down the shaft six-iron" on the last?

On each occasion, all he wanted was to record the optimum score, and, on each occasion, the shots found water. Risky plays have a greater premium for punishment, and that is what happened to Harrington; just as it has happened to Mickelson.

To understand Harrington's thinking coming down that stretch, you have to understand the immense desire that the Dubliner has to win. You have to understand the amount of time he spends on the range, on the putting green, the time he spends in the gym. Everything he does in golf is to play to the best of his ability, and win.

"Every time I play, it amazes me the difference in the player I was from years gone by," remarked Harrington.

It is what follows that gives a glimpse into how he thinks, however.

"By no means am I anywhere near the finished product I want to be," added Harrington. "But I am very happy that I know what I am doing and getting the results. It is great when you are working on things and getting results going with it. The hardest thing is to change something and take a couple of steps backwards and the results aren't coming in and to keep going with that change."

In his time as a professional, Harrington has never been afraid to change, all in the pursuit of what professionals deem is perfection. He changed clubs, switching from Maxfli to Wilson. He changed coaches, switching from Howard Bennett to Bob Torrance. He changed caddies, switching from Johnny Reilly to Dave McNeilly. He changed ball, switching from Maxfli to Callaway.

And, yet, it must be deemed that, for the number of times that he puts himself into contention in a tournament, Harrington's strike-rate is not sufficiently high. Sunday's tied-second place was the 16th time he has been runner-up on the PGA European Tour, and he also lost in the final of the World Matchplay at Wentworth - an unofficial tournament on the schedule - last year.

While he backed into a number of those second place finishes by shooting low final rounds - such as last year's Irish Open at Fota Island, where he finished with a 64, but still was five shots behind Colin Montgomerie - there have been other occasions, too, where he has not delivered on his expectations.

In fact, given the player that he is, five professional wins (four on the European Tour, most recently the Volvo Masters last November, and one Irish PGA championship) is a poor return for his undoubted ability.

Losing last Sunday's European Open in the manner that he did, with his playing partner Campbell bleeding coming in, with four bogeys to finish, obviously hurt Harrington. He insisted, however, that it wouldn't linger.

"As soon as I get out onto a golf course again, I will have forgotten about it," he said.

The evidence of the past would suggest that he does have the capacity to put these things out of his mind. As recently as last October, he looked home and dry against Ian Woosnam in the final of the World Matchplay only to squander a lead.

He was visibly distraught after that setback, yet, four days later, he was back playing in the Dunhill Links and finished fifth. In his next tournament he finished 25th. And, in his next, the Volvo Masters, he won.

Harrington's next tournament won't be until the British Open at Muirfield next week, when he will be seeking to continue his impressive form in the majors this season. He was tied-fifth at the Masters and tied-eighth at the US Open.

Before that, however, he has further commitments, including today's head-to-head with Greg Norman at the official opening of the Doonbeg links in Clare.

While Harrington takes a break from tournament golf this week, Darren Clarke will play his third tournament in as many weeks when he competes in the Scottish Open at Loch Lomond. Clarke's bid to retain his title at the K Club was knocked for six on Saturday when he had a run of six successive bogeys - and most of his problems seem to be to do with the putter. Tee to green, he is swinging the club beautifully.

He will be joined in the field at Loch Lomond by Paul McGinley, seeking to end a poor run of form.

Meanwhile, the fourth staging of Junior Ryder Cup between Europe and the United States takes place at the K Club during the week immediately preceding the real thing at the Belfry. The event will be staged over two days, September 24th-25th.