Golf/British Open: Already a very marketable asset, with a string of blue chip clients, Padraig Harrington's stock has risen still higher following his major victory. And his heightened profile - particularly in the United States - could mean his off-course commitments end up dwarfing the money he wins in tournament play.

Industry sources believe that Harrington's British Open success could ultimately be worth as much as €20 million, as he reaps the benefits of the win that ended an eight-year drought since a European last won a major.

"He's already high profile in marketability, so the win can only help," said his manager, Adrian Mitchell of International Management Group.

Harrington, who turns 36 next month, already has an excellent portfolio of sponsors. They include club manufacturers Wilson, Titleist golf balls, Kartel clothing and Hi-Tech golf shoes.

He also has sponsorship links with Bank of Ireland (with whom he signed a three-year deal in May) and the computer and telecommunications company U4EA.

He is connected with the White Oak Plantation in North Carolina, USA, and has recently moved into architecture and is designing his first golf course in Marlbrook, outside Clonmel, Co Tipperary.

A number, but not all, of these sponsorships and corporate links have built-in bonus clauses should the player achieve specified goals, such as winning regular tournaments and the Order of Merit and, especially, majors.

Obviously, his Open victory at Carnoustie has activated some such clauses.

Harrington collected just over €1.1 million for winning the Open Championship, which brought him to the top of the Order of Merit with season's winnings of €2,059,508.

It is the fourth time he has won over €2 million in a season.

It also took his career earnings on the PGA European Tour to €16.5 million, placing him fourth in the all-time list, while his worldwide earnings (including Europe) in a professional career that started in 1995 are now over €20 million.

The British Open win for Harrington could well impact mostly in America, as far as off-course matters are concerned.

"We're very selective in sponsors," said Mitchell. "Padraig is one of the most popular players in America, especially on the East Coast, but I suspect this win will only enhance that popularity.

"It will make him known to fans who may not have known him, sports fans who don't necessarily watch golf."

Most of Harrington's current contracts are firmly in place. For example, Bank of Ireland came on board in May, replacing O2, who had been one of his main sponsors for a number of years, while White Oak's logo has replaced that of Golfing in Ireland on Harrington's bag.

"The way it works is that positions are filled and categories are covered," adds Mitchell. "We sit down and look at type of brands you want to be associated with. You need to be selective."

As for his already packed playing schedule, Harrington will have to try and find extra space in the calendar.

The Dubliner - who has leapt from 10th to sixth in the latest world rankings and to the top of the PGA European Tour money list - automatically secures invitations to play in the HSBC World Matchplay at Wentworth and the Grand Slam of Golf in Bermuda, both of which take place in October.

Indeed, while he is juggling two tour cards and recently indicated his future plans warranted playing fewer tournaments rather than more, Harrington's win at Carnoustie - the 20th of his professional career - means he could have a busier-than-ever autumn ahead, as he has moved from 79th to 19th in the FedEx Cup points table on the US Tour.

That points race has the 7.25-million Tour Championship as its finale in September, but Harrington's jump up the tables means he could be adding additional tournaments on to his August schedule as the FedEx Cup run-in takes in the Barclays Classic at Westchester (where he won in 2005), the Deutsche Bank in Boston, the BMW Championship at Cog Hill and, finally, the Tour Championship.

The top 144 players on the FedEx list make the first tournament at Westchester, but it reduces with each subsequent week so that only 30 make it to the finale.

Harrington has a well-earned and much-needed week away from tournament golf this week but returns to tournament action in next week's WGC-Bridgestone Invitational at Akron and then will play in the US PGA Championship, the season's final major, at Southern Hills in Tulsa the following week.

He will be joined at Tulsa by Paul McGinley and Darren Clarke, both of whom get places in the field as Ryder Cup players.

His win gives Harrington an exemption into the British Open until he is 65, and a five-year exemption into the US Masters, the US Open and the USPGA.