Paddy Power weren’t the only bookmaker licking their wounds after Padraig Harrington’s stunning USPGA victory on Sunday. Boylesports reported losses of almost €1million, their second biggest payout of the summer, and English bookmakers were not spared either.

Dejected Skybet compiler John Rodes said; “This was our result of the year by a distance. We took one bet of £2,500 each way at 20/1 and plenty of other lumpy ones”.

Not surprisingly, the topsy-turvy nature of the tournament meant that several players were matched at short prices on Betfair. Harrington traded at a high of 36, while Sergio Garcia, who looked to have his first Major title at his mercy until finding water with his approach to the 16th, traded at a low of 1.61. Ben Curtis (2.7), Henrik Stenson (4.5), Phil Mickelson (5) and JB Holmes (7.00) all had their moments.

Harrington has now won back-to-back Majors, and bet365 go 125/1 that he completes the clean sweep by adding next year’s Masters and Open Championship - no prizes for guessing the last golfer to hold all four majors at the same time! He is 16/1 with the same firm to win the 2009 US Masters and just 10/1 (from 16/1) for a hat-trick of Opens.

Poor Sergio Garcia tried to sound positive in his post-round interviews at Oakland Hills, but this was yet another golden opportunity of winning a first major blown, and bet365 go a mere 1/5 that he fails to shift his bridesmaid tag in 2009, and 10/3 that he wins one.

Still, you can almost bank on him making a big contribution at next month’s Ryder Cup for which he’s 11/2 to be Leading Points Scorer with bet365, who make Padraig Harrington favourite at 7/2. Both look sure to see plenty of action over the three days. At the time of writing, VCbet’s quote of Evens is the standout price on the Europeans, with some firms going as short as 8/11. If you fancy the Yanks, then Boylesports is the place to go as they go 5/4. The tie is a best-priced 12/1 with Stan James.

Skybet are still betting on who Paul Azinger will pick as one of his four wild-cards and Steve Stricker, knocked out of an automatic spot by Ben Curtis on Sunday, is a 1/4 shot to win a reprieve. They then go Evens on Chad Campbell, 5/4 Sean O’Hair and JB Holmes. DJ Trahan, who interestingly is on the entry list for this week’s Scandinavian Masters, is quoted at 7/4.