He got to make the winner's speech at the Smurfit European Open last night, but Michael Campbell admitted thinking about it nearly cost him the title.

The Brighton-based New Zealander amazingly bogeyed the last four holes and still became £333,330 richer at the K Club near Dublin.

From five clear Campbell gave himself an almighty fright before taking the trophy by a single stroke from Padraig Harrington, Paul Lawrie, Retief Goosen and Bradley Dredge.

"I was preparing my speech, I think," said the 33-year-old after his fifth European tour success.

"I was thinking of the consequences of winning and my mind was racing too far ahead.

"It's one of those things that happened. I'm just relieved."

Home hope Harrington was the one left cursing most after the 17th runners-up finish of his career.

Harrington was playing with Campbell and started his comeback bid when he birdied the 15th and the Kiwi bogeyed it.

On the dramatic par five next Harrington went for the green in two, went in the water and yet still cut the gap to two.

He escaped with a five, whereas Campbell laid up in the rough, went over the green and played a horrid chip.

When Campbell then bogeyed the 17th Harrington missed a three-foot putt which would have brought him to only one behind.

That was still not the end of the matter. Campbell went into the lake at the last and Harrington, suddenly in with a chance again, followed him in.

Bizarrely, Campbell had not dropped a shot all day until the 15th and birdies at the fourth, 12th and 13th gave him a closing 73 and six-under-par total of 282, 15 strokes more than Per-Ulrik Johansson's winning score five years ago.

LEADERBOARD (GB & Ire unless stated): 6 under - Michael Campbell (Nzl); 5 under - Padraig Harrington, Bradley Dredge, Retief Goosen (Rsa), Paul Lawrie.

4 under - Colin Montgomerie, Niclas Fasth (Swe), Angel Cabrera (Arg). 3 under - Jarrod Moseley (Aus), Joakim Haeggman (Swe), Carl Pettersson (Swe), Darren Fichardt (Rsa), Patrik Sjoland (Swe), Paul Casey, Barry Lane.

American Juli Inkster came from two behind overnight to score a shock win over Sweden's Annika Sorenstam and claim her second US Women's Open at Prairie Dunes, Kansas yesterday.

In a thrilling final afternoon, Inkster, the 1999 winner, shot a joint best of championship 66 to finish on four-under 276. She won the record £380,000 prize by two shotswith Australia's Shani Waugh a distant third on 283 after a 73.