Harrington says keeping calm was the key to his Open success

The Irishman told BBC Sport: "Once you've won a few events, everything is about winning a major and the whole of your career is judged on that.

"Winning the first one is the hardest part and there's a lot of pressure, hype and stress about doing it.

"So to finally cross that threshold is such a relief, and hopefully I can now go on and win a few of them."

Interview: Open champion Padraig Harrington

Harrington, 35, triumphed over Ryder Cup team-mate Sergio Garcia in a four-hole play-off after a double-bogey at Carnoustie's 18th.

"If there ever was a good double bogey six, that was it," he said on Monday.

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"The hole is a very tough one, one of the toughest in golf, and I hit a couple of bad shots, but I'm really proud of the way I reacted.

"I kept myself so level, my temperament was so good that I do believe that's what won me the play-off - my reaction to nearly losing the Open [at the 18th]. I stayed very, very calm."

Harrington also credited his win to his Open build-up, which saw him win his fourth Irish PGA Championship title on a links course in County Wicklow.

"I asked the Irish PGA to put the event on a links course the week before the Open," he revealed.

"They did that for me, so I got four rounds of competitive links golf and it definitely made a difference for me at Carnoustie.

"I do believe it would help anyone the week before the Open to play a links course, and competitive links golf is better than just going out there and playing a few practice rounds.

"But I don't think it's going to happen in the very near future unless a lot of European Tour pros start taking their PGA membership in Ireland."