Lots of lolly but still no 'Wall-E' for our hero

GOLF:THE CLARET JUG nestles snugly in the crook of his arm. His journey to the dais is briefly interrupted to offer a high-five to a young fan and then pose for a photograph, both faces creased by broad smiles.

It's a classic cameo that reveals the appeal of Pádraig Harrington, a class act on and off the golf course.

Last weekend he retained the British Open Championship, moving to a career high of world number three in the process, but as he conducts an hour-long media conference in the offices of one of his principal sponsors, Bank of Ireland, there isn't a trace of artifice.

Appreciably less-gifted sportsmen brandish celebrity as a badge of convenience in opening doors. Not Harrington. Recounting a story with typical self-deprecation, he admitted his new-found status hadn't enabled him to take his son Patrick to the cinema on Wednesday to see the Disney film Wall-E. It was booked out, so they plan to go some other time.

In the wake of his second successive Open victory, the manner of his triumph was singled out by Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson as an example for his team in their bid to retain the Premier League and Champions League titles. When informed, Harrington admitted to being tickled pink but that was divulged as an aside rather than in the main conference.

The 36-year-old Dubliner retraced a great deal of familiar ground in teasing out the minutiae of his win at Royal Birkdale but yesterday also elaborated on one or two plans for the rest of a season he is likely to curtail in mid-November so as to start earlier the following season. He felt he'd been a little undercooked, playing-wise, going into this year's US Masters and would seek to rectify that issue.

He won't play in the World Cup - that honour will fall to Graeme McDowell and probably Rory McIlroy - and hasn't as yet made a definitive judgment on Tiger Woods's Target Challenge later in the year.

His immediate priority is the US PGA Championship next month and to recalibrate his game in preparation, he will play the WGC Bridgestone Invitational in Akron, Ohio, next week.

He's absorbed the lessons of his Open victory at Carnoustie last year and is keen not to overextend himself physically and emotionally in the build-up to the final major of the season.

"The second (British Open win) is totally different from the first.

"The first time is totally euphoric. I was happy to go with the flow and make the most of that first win. Winning a second time - while the win itself was more satisfying - the aftermath of it is a little bit calmer. I have not done anything near what I did the last time.

"I am actually making sure that I am not overdoing it. The six or eight weeks after the Open (2007), I wasn't fresh or mentally strong enough on the golf course. This time I have decided to take it a little bit easier. I do expect to be fighting fit over the next number of weeks.

"Maybe next week in Akron will be a bit of a struggle but I am hoping that I'll be good to go when it comes to the PGA Championship, the FedEx Cup and the Ryder Cup. You are only going to win your first major once and I went with it. This year it's different. I want to build on this and work from this and have been a little bit more disciplined in not overdoing it."

He's not oblivious to the verbal bouquets that have been tossed in his direction once again but pointed out he's not concerning himself with the notion that he might be considered one of Ireland's greatest sportspeople.

"It's very nice to be included in the category of some of Ireland's great sports heroes, people I would have grown up with. I'm not going to put much time into (thinking about) it at the moment. It definitely would hinder your ability to set goals and move forward."

Harrington is hugely conscious of progressing and with a smile, he accepted he did not consider reaching number three in the world rankings as a journey's end.

"I was shaving this (Thursday) morning - it's usually when you're doing things like that - it did cross my mind what I needed to do to catch world number two (Phil Mickelson)." As for number one?: "I didn't consider . . . well I did, actually.

"Certainly to get to number one you have to get to number two. It's a tough battle to catch Phil there, but I'm sure he wouldn't mind the competition. It will probably push both of us on. But world number one is a little bit further up there. It's quite a few wins away."

A snapshot of his focus may be gleaned from the fact he was back practising on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.

There was just a little time to offer advice (non-technical) to aspiring young golfers in which he advocated that they play a team sport in tandem with golf as much for life lessons as other considerations.

They could hardly envisage a better role model.