Golfers are inclined to exaggerate about the length of the putts they hole - and even more the ones they miss.

But Padraig Harrington has no need for tall tales when he returns home this week for the European Open at the K Club just outside Dublin.

The US Tour's "Shot Link" system measured Harrington's winning eagle putt at the Barclays Classic on Sunday night as 65 feet, seven inches.

Clutching the trophy - his second in America this year - and another cheque for a million dollars, give or take, the Ryder Cup star admitted: "Obviously it's very special to win, but to hole a putt on the last green and to actually get to watch a putt going in on the last green - I got a good five seconds - I've not experienced that before in winning a tournament.

"Normally you have a short putt or two putts to win or whatever, but the excitement of following that putt down the green and seeing it breaking towards the hole and keep breaking and straighten out and in she went, very special."

Harrington was three behind Jim Furyk with five to play, but the victory lifts him back into the world's top 10 at eighth and also puts him ninth of this season's US money list.

"I kept telling myself that I had a very similar putt to win the Irish professional championship two years ago and I managed to roll that putt stone dead," said Harrington.

"That was a good, positive image for me going up to that putt.

"You could analyse it all day, but you've got to go with what it feels like and trust that you've got the feeling right. It was very much look at my target and go.

"I was trying to two-putt, but I hit the putt pure and it looked great. Once it rolled over that tier it looked really good for pace and really good for line.

"I had my hand in the air as it was going into the hole. I had not experienced that before. And it was very nice."

Harrington had an extra reason for wanting to win again because of his father's current battle with cancer.

"He's going to be thrilled," he added.

"Two days after my last win (the Honda Classic in Florida in March) we found out that his cancer had come back.

"I've been away for three weeks and I'm looking forward to getting home to see him. I'm sure he's glad he hung around this long. He was given a couple of weeks back in March.

"My emotions really dictate how I play. With the family situation and the way I've been, I've been very hard on myself on the golf course.

"This week I decided to lighten up a bit and try and enjoy it more. I always play better when I've got a smile on my face rather than maybe the last couple of months I've been pretty tough.

"The nature of things that happen, it's easy to get down on yourself."

Collated final scores and totals

(USA unless stated, par 71):

274 Padraig Harrington (Irl) 71 65 68 70

275 Jim Furyk 65 69 70 71

279 Kenny Perry 68 68 72 71, Brian Gay 69 66 71 73, Brad Faxon 72 68 66 73

280 Dean Wilson 72 71 66 71

281 Justin Leonard 72 71 67 71, Billy Mayfair 72 68 75 66, Vijay Singh (Fij) 68 71 69 73, John Senden (Aus) 69 67 72 73

282 Tom Pernice Jnr. 70 69 72 71

283 Tim Clark (Rsa) 74 70 68 71, Len Mattiace 71 65 73 74, Chris DiMarco 71 72 69 71, Jeff Brehaut 70 70 72 71

Dudley Hart 71 69 70 73

284 Loren Roberts 74 69 72 69, Brett Quigley 73 68 68 75

285 Franklin Langham 73 71 68 73, Omar Uresti 70 73 74 68, J.P. Hayes 70 72 73 70

286 Pat Perez 70 71 68 77, Michael Long (Nzl) 72 71 71 72, Paul Gow (Aus) 70 74 70 72, Hidemichi Tanaka (Jpn) 68 68 75 75, Lucas Glover 70 73 72 71, Sergio Garcia (Spa) 72 71 73 70, Kevin Sutherland 70 68 74 74, Craig Barlow 76 67 71 72, Greg Owen (Eng) 72 73 71 70, Michael Allen 72 71 74 69

287 Tom Byrum 70 71 75 71, Neal Lancaster 72 71 70 74, Ian Leggatt (Can) 68 73 71 75, Graeme McDowell (NIrl) 73 71 67 76, Woody Austin 72 73 70 72, Stephen Leaney (Aus) 72 73 68 74, Fred Funk 69 73 74 71, Lee Janzen 73 72 71 71

288 Joey Snyder III 74 71 73 70, Corey Pavin 77 64 74 73, Joe Ogilvie 69 71 75 73, Matt Gogel 71 74 70 73, Mathias Gronberg (Swe) 70 70 71 77, Briny Baird 74 70 70 74

289 Sean O'Hair 72 69 72 76, J.L. Lewis 69 73 72 75, Dan Briggs 72 72 72 73, Hunter Mahan 75 67 73 74, Bill Glasson 70 71 78 70

290 Heath Slocum 74 71 72 73, Ryan Moore 71 74 73 72, Alex Cejka (Den) 72 72 76 70, Todd Fischer 74 70 68 78

Larry Mize 70 73 70 77, Robert Damron 76 69 73 72

291 Tjaart Van der Walt (Rsa) 73 72 74 72, Brian Bateman 68 77 70 76, Charlie Wi (Kor) 72 69 75 75, Steve Elkington (Aus) 74 71 74 72

292 Fredrik Jacobson (Swe) 72 71 72 77, Justin Rose (Eng) 74 68 76 74

293 John Rollins 68 74 72 79, Patrick Sheehan 69 75 75 74, Gavin Coles (Aus) 72 73 70 78

294 Brendan Jones (Aus) 72 71 72 79, Jeff Sluman 71 74 74 75, Rocco Mediate 77 67 77 73

296 Mark Calcavecchia 76 69 77 74

298 Billy Andrade 72 73 73 80

299 Steve Allan (Aus) 71 74 77 77

303 Tom Gillis 71 71 77 84