The first beverage poured into the Claret Jug was John Smith's Smooth Bitter, and by the end of a late-night, early-morning celebration, the famous trophy had been emptied of all its liquid contents.

Padraig Harrington appeared a bit weary on Monday morning when he returned to Royal Birkdale, but it was a good kind of hangover from his Open Championship victory.

And it certainly couldn't have been too bad, as Harrington revealed he had consumed "my morning porridge" while checking over the latest Ryder Cup standings and text messages that had reached well past 100, including one from the president of Ireland.

Harrington gazed at the prized trophy sitting in front of him, pleased he would get to bring it back home to Dublin for another year after defending his title.

"Winning for the first time was a real high and was slightly unexpected," Harrington said." And the way it happened it was very exciting. This time around it was more of a determined effort, more satisfying and in many ways more rewarding. To have done it back-to-back is very special. To have two majors is very special.

"But what I take most from it, is going out in the last group and performing when I needed to. Playing golf in the final round of a major, when it's put up to you, is a nice feeling."

Starting the final round two shots behind leader Greg Norman, the 36-year-old Harrington shot a 1-under-par 69 at treacherous Royal Birkdale. His day included a back-nine 32 that featured the shot of the tournament -- a 5-wood second shot to the par-5 17th -- that set up a 3-foot eagle putt.

Harrington ended up winning by four strokes over England's Ian Poulter and by six over Norman, who at 53 was bidding to become the oldest winner of a major, a PGA Tour event or a European Tour event.

It was almost fitting that he strolled the final fairway with Norman, who eight times has finished runner-up in a major and now is just 1-for-8 when holding a 54-hole lead in the year's biggest tournaments. The two shared a moment on the 18th fairway as the crowd cheered their final steps.

"I told Greg I was sorry he wasn't going to have his story told [Sunday night]," Harrington said. "It would have been a fantastic story."

In his own way, Harrington could relate to coming close at tournaments and not ending with a victory. In his first six years on the European Tour, Harrington had four victories and 15 runner-up finishes. On the PGA Tour and European Tours combined, the Irishman now owns 20 wins, including four on the PGA Tour.

For a time, he was considered a player who could not get the job done on Sunday.

"It's about averages," said Harrington, who earned a degree in accountancy before turning pro. "You get yourself into position enough times, you'll fall on the right side a number of times and the wrong side a number of times. But the key is to continue to get yourself into position. I've played great in tournaments and through no fault of my own, I finished second. And I played poorly and finished second.

"After talking about it and thinking about, I came to a conclusion that I couldn't say, 'Why me?' Eventually you come down to it really is a case of averages. One day you hole a 10-footer on the last and get into a playoff. The next day it doesn't go in and you lose the tournament. You can't control everything in golf. You can control getting yourself in position. You can't control all the breaks.

"But you have to realize that some days, like yesterday, things fall for you and you're the champion."

Harrington said the left wrist injury that threatened to keep him out of the tournament was no longer an issue, but that as a precaution, he would likely not practice or play this week, something made easier in victory.

Time to reflect will be short, as next week it is off to Akron, Ohio for the World Golf Championship-Bridgestone Invitational, followed by the PGA Championship. Harrington will take part in the FedEx Cup playoffs and has solidified his spot on Europe's Ryder Cup team as he has moved up to No. 3 in the world rankings behind Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson.

At some point, Harrington said, he will begin to consider what is next.

"Winning the first major was incredible," he said. "Now that I've got two, I'm in a different club. What's the next club? What's the next grouping of players. I will have some time to set some new goals. The goal for the last year was to win another major, and I'm thrilled it came so quick. I definitely have to look and see what else is out there."

For now, though, there are simpler, more pleasant thoughts. Harrington said it saddened him to have to return the Claret Jug at the beginning of Open week.

On Monday morning, he had it back in his grasp again, a little shinier than he had left it, and knowing exactly where it was headed.

"Our breakfast table at home is looking for it back," Harrington said, grinning. "There is a little spot already worn there."

Bob Harig covers golf for ESPN.com. He can be reached at BobHarig@gmail.com.