US PGA CHAMPIONSHIP PRESS CONFERENCE:Pádraig Harrington talks to journalists after his win at Oakland Hills on Sunday. This is an edited transcript

Q: On Friday you sounded like you were done. You pretty much said you didn't have it. Did you at any time let yourself think that you were done? How did you get to this point from there?

A: It's a fascinating thing (about) this week that I definitely didn't have my golf swing. My co-ordination was out all week. On Friday, (and) on Thursday I couldn't get to the clubhouse quick enough. My game was going downhill very quickly out on the golf course.

I think on the 17th hole, or the eighth hole of the golf course there (on Friday), I hit it well into the compound on the right-hand side off the tee. It made my tee shot at the 18th at Carnoustie look straight. And then on nine, I managed to hit it 40 yards left of the green with a four iron; and 40 yards, it was a good 40 yards left. So I just finished off with the biggest block hook and the biggest pull hook, and I felt tired.

Now when I went back and had a look at it, and had a discussion with my trainer at home, it was possible that I was dehydrated. And that's what (caused) the lack of co-ordination. So it gave me something to focus on.

I focused on Friday evening and Saturday, and all through Saturday and Sunday in rehydrating myself. And at least whether that was the cause or not, whether it was - it might have been tiredness as well - but at least I had something tangible that I could actually pin it on and try and put some effort into it and give me the belief that if I can get my hydration right, basically my co-ordination would come back.

You talked about shots that you're taking . . . on your shoulders and (in) the majors, more importantly, you're making these shots. Do you feel with the shot at the Open (on 17 at Birkdale) to wrap it up, the shot today on 18, are you feeling you're ready to challenge for the world's best golfer?

Well, you know, that's a nice question to ask. It's a good situation that you can ask that question.

It's a big step (for me). I've probably been the leading player in Europe for close to six years. And I probably still get asked, you know, am I the leading player in Europe. But it's six years that I've probably maintained that, more or less. It is a big step now to move up and start competing on a different level. I'm world number three. I've got Phil, I've got Tiger ahead of me. I don't necessarily pay attention to what they're doing; I pay attention to more to what I'm doing.

Do I believe I can improve as a player? Yes. I do believe I can improve as a player. There's plenty of my game to improve.

There's lots of stuff I can work on. And I am maturing as a player . . . throughout my career I have been a learner in the game. I've always applied myself, looked for what would improve my game, found that, and worked on it to improve it and have improved it. But it's always taken some time.

Many periods in my career, I've had lulls where I've been in between things and come out stronger. I'm looking at this period as one of those that I am coming out stronger with experience and I'm putting a lot more things together. I'm making things happen on the golf course.

It's a long way to catch Tiger at the top. But I know that the only way of focusing on doing that is focusing on me, what I'm doing and controlling what I can do; I can't control Tiger or Phil.

The way the draw worked out today, do you feel that events at Carnoustie last year gave you an edge? And were you engaged in the matchplay situation (with Garcia) toward the finish?

My caddie (Ronan Flood) warned me of that on 16. He says, "You can't get into a matchplay situation." Up to that, yes, I was engaged in a matchplay situation, because Sergio was in the lead, I was chasing.

I did tell myself all along, even when he had a three-shot lead or a two-shot lead, that it could be just one hole could change that around. So most of the time I was trying to stay patient and hang in there, trying to take my chances.

But I knew that - there's no question - I had one eye on Sergio and had to be disciplined to try and not focus on him too much; to try and have him as a playing partner rather than necessarily as a competitor on the day.

And it is difficult in that situation because you don't want to necessarily get involved in somebody else's game that you have no control over.

Did you feel an edge?

I felt an edge in terms of my experience. I felt an edge in terms of my ability to take an opportunity when it comes around. I didn't think I would be too sentimental to think that if there was going to be an edge, you would think, well, I won the last one, he should win the next one. And I think that there was a certain amount of that from, you know, the support out there, that there was quite a bit of, I would say, people saying, "Well, maybe it's time for Sergio to have one."

Obviously, you have to get yourself away from that.

It's a bit like the Greg Norman story at Birkdale. It's a great story, but you can't let yourself get drawn into it, and you've got to do your own thing.

So probably not an edge because of Carnoustie, but an edge because I won at Carnoustie and I won at Birkdale.

When you're not injured, when you're not drained and when you feel good about your game, how many shots will you win a major by?

No, no, no. It doesn't work like that. You did see my shot into 16 when things were comfortable. I actually struggle when things are comfortable. It's something that I work on with Bob Rotella. And that's why I have done well when, like this week, I'm not quite on my game.

I've won many a tournament where I felt I wasn't swinging as well as I could; and performed poorly sometimes when I felt I was swinging well. So I'm a little bit of a contrast like that. But I'm getting better.

Do you think your game is at the stage now where perhaps opponent are intimidated by you when the pressure is this intense?

I don't know how other people are going to feel. I know I love the idea of the back nine of a major on a Sunday. I love it so much that I'm actually disappointed I'm seven months away from the next major, and I don't know what I'm going to do.

And it is something I have struggled with in the last - I've really focused hard on the majors - the last two years. My whole schedule is built around majors and definitely I've turned up at other events, and unless I get into contention, you know, sometimes it feels like a race, like a sprint. Whereas, a major feels like a marathon. I feel like I can be patient and take my time.

And I love the feeling of knowing that it's going to come down to the back nine; it's going to come down to who can do it under pressure in the last nine holes. And that is an issue for me that I do have to play better when I feel confident about my game in a normal week.

You've been on the 18th green two times now with Sergio and you've come out the winner and had two very different reactions. Could you comment on his reaction today versus his reaction at Carnoustie?

It was very evident at Carnoustie I was so focused on what I was doing, the high of it; when I turned around I saw Sergio and I could see the disappointment, that there was a loser that day.

I had no preparation for it. I had no concept of the fact that there was going to be a winner and a loser that day. And when I saw it in Sergio's face, I could see the sheer disappointment.

And today, my own emotions, I didn't really notice (Garcia). I was concentrating on Ben Curtis. I wasn't as much into it today. I could see it clearly at Carnoustie but today it wasn't the same.

It wasn't the same sort of feeling, anyway, on my behalf. I couldn't tell you what he was thinking or feeling.

If we go back two years and you were trying to win your first major, say, at Winged Foot, trying to close the deal, were you the same player in terms of commitment and attitude that you are now? And if you're different, did it take winning at Carnoustie or something else to change that?

I walked off the 18th hole, the 72nd hole at Winged Foot, (and) Bob Rotella was there. And I said, "Now I know I'll win a major." So Winged Foot (in 2006) was pivotal. Even though I finished with three bogeys, I played awesome for the first 15 holes. I putted terrible. If I put the putting I had on today on the round at Winged Foot, I would have been so much better and sometimes I questioned whether I would play the golf in those situations.

I've known in the past that the tougher things get, the more I'm going to hole putts; but I questioned whether I had the consistency on the game, and I did at Winged Foot . . .

Winged Foot was probably the first time I knew what I was doing, and felt like I could do it again, and again and again. Yes, I lost. I was one of the losers at Winged Foot. There were a number of losers. And in many ways, I dodged a bullet because there were some more-high profile losers that day.

People didn't really know that Harrington bogeyed the last three holes but I walked away from that tournament knowing I could win a major.

Sometimes, you know, you have got to lose them to know that you can win them.

I've always been that sort of guy, that I've got to put myself in the position and learn from it and understand it before I actually go and do it. And that's what I did.

You said you had one eye on Sergio, and I wondered what you saw with that eye. As a player, what did you see? What kind of player did you see in him as the day went by?

It looked like his day. Especially through eight and nine, when he made two really good up-and-downs . . . He's holing the putts, you know, and this is obviously an area that maybe he struggled with in the past, and it's really looking like it's going to happen for him.

And I had to try and convince myself not to get into this sentimental thing of, you know, maybe it's his turn; maybe he deserves it . . . I had to convince myself that, no, it's going to be my day, and I deserve to win three majors.

You've got to be very selfish in this situation when you're on the golf course.