"If I'd lost I would have struggled to come back. - Padraig Harrington"
At last! After eight long years and 30 odd majors without success in the four big ones, Padraig Harrington removed the monkey from Europe's back by winning the Open Championship at Carnoustie.
Mind you, the Dubliner made us all suffer, and himself no doubt, following a potentially calamitous encounter with the Barry Burn which he twice found on the 72nd hole.
However the 36-year-old revealed sufficient quantities of true grit that would have made even John Wayne proud to get down in two for a double-bogey six and ultimately a place in a play-off with Sergio Garcia.
The Spanish star, destined to inherit the 'best player not to win a major' mantle, had his opportunity to win outright but lipped out at the last and Harrington made no mistake over his reprieve and claimed the claret jug after four extra holes.
"If I had lost I would have struggled to come back out and be a professional golfer," said Harrington.
"It meant that much to me. It would have been incredibly hard to take."
In a happy coincidence, Harrington's former coach Howard Bennett was also at Carnoustie to collect his PGA Master Professional plaque who confidently predicted he would win more majors.
The Open is traditionally a feast of great stories and the PGA had one of its own when Wessex Golf Centre pro Jon Bevan qualified and made the cut. Bevan would later go on to make his mark at the PGA Cup in Georgia.
Other PGA pros to make it to Scotland were David Shacklady (Mossock Hall), David Higgins (Waterville Golf Links) and Steve Parry (Astley Golf Centre).
July was a busy month including prior to the Open a spectacular play-off victory for Gregory Havret at Loch Lomond where Phil Mickelson, as only Lefty can seemingly do, toss away a title as easily as he wins them. This time he let slip a commanding three stroke lead to spark a champagne soaking for the Frenchman.
Away from the spotlight at grassroots level the Ryder Cup European Development Trust continued its good work by giving £18,000 towards the Kevin Duggan Golf Academy at Stockwood Park in Luton.
Back inside the tournament ropes, eight time Order of Merit winner Colin Montgomerie demonstrated he could still be a force in European golf, surviving two late scares and two storm interruptions to wrack up his first win in 19 months.
The 44-year-old's victory in the European Open at The K Club was a welcome boost for Monty who had crashed out of the US Open just 23 days earlier with a second round 82 - ouch - his second worst score in a major!
KJ Choi, now a regular in the world's top ten, chalked up the biggest victory of his career at the Tiger Woods' hosted AT&T at the Congressional Country Club.
"I'm just shocked at myself," he said.
Graeme Storm no doubt felt something similar after capturing the French Open. Just four years ago Storm was earning extra money at a cream cake factory. His win netted him £450,000 so no more cash worries for the Hartlepool player.
At regional level Danny Poulter, brother to Ryder Cup player Ian, proved a chip off the old block by landing the PGA East Anglian Open Championship at Blakes Golf Club.
On the PGA Europro Tour Michael McDermott grabbed his maiden title at Stoke by Nayland.