Victory in the Volvo Masters at Montecastillo last Sunday was worth more than £500,000 to Darren Clarke. And his status internationally has been enhanced significantly by elevation to 20th in the World Rankings, only three places behind the all-time high by an Irishman.
The 30-year-old was remarkably composed, even philosophical, yesterday about his sparkling achievement. But one could also detect profound satisfaction at the quality of his finish to a course record-equalling round of 63 - a 136-yard pitching wedge followed by a seven-foot birdie-putt.
Clarke's half-million pound haul comprised the top prize of £166,000, £120,000 in bonus money and more than £220,000 in bonuses from his various sponsors. His official money at Montecastillo also boosted his earnings to almost $1.4 million from 23 tournaments internationally.
Against this background of wealth and achievement, would he now become easier on himself, subordinating some of the perfectionism which threatened to stifle his undoubted skills? "Probably not," he replied with a grin. "I can't see myself relaxing until I've reached the top and that leaves me with a long way to go. What Monty (Colin Montgomerie) has done is unbelievable."
But he added: "I'm now prepared to accept that there are going to be off-days when I'm chasing tournament success. That's a big change for me and I suppose it's down to the arrival of Tyrone (his 13-week-old son) and the whole family thing."
Referring to the masterly manner in which he captured the title, Clarke said: "Standing over that shot to the 18th, I knew it was about the maximum for a pitching wedge: there was absolutely no room for error. But I was determined that if I was going to mess up it would not be from backing off the challenge."
He went on: "Going to the 18th green, I didn't know what Andy (Andrew Coltart, a rival for the title on the day) was going to do behind me. For all I knew, he might birdie the last two holes." In fact Clarke was signing his card when he learned that Coltart, who had been only a stroke behind on 16 under par, three-putted the 17th to effectively drop out of contention.
Though he has become mentally stronger this season, Clarke remains essentially a mood player. So he knew the signs were good when he felt happy within himself all day Sunday, especially from the time he went to the practice ground to prepare for the final round.
Now he has won two tournaments in a season for the first time in his career and has also made the top 20 in the world rankings for the first time. As it happened, Ronan Rafferty was ranked 21st after capturing the Volvo Masters and the Vardon Trophy in 1989 but he had been down to 19th earlier that season.
Rafferty then went on to be ranked 17th after finishing 14th behind Nick Faldo in the 1990 US Masters. That remains the lowest ranking ever achieved by an Irishman. On current form, it would be foolhardy to bet against Clarke improving on it.
The latest news on Rafferty is that he plans to make a comeback to tournament action next January, when the European Tour travels to South Africa and Australia. Damage to his left thumb limited his activities to six tournament appearances this season and he has not played since the English Open in June.
Since then, he has had regular treatment on the damaged digit and in the absence of tournament activity has remained involved as a pundit with the Sky Sports golf team.
Clarke is taking a break this week prior to his departure to Japan for the Dunlop Phoenix and Taiheiyo Masters tournaments later this month.
Paul McGinley and Padraig Harrington have gone to the US on personal invitations from Gene Sarazen to compete in the final staging of the Sarazen World Open at Chateau Elan.
As for Montgomerie: he could afford to sit down yesterday and congratulate himself on another job well done. Brilliantly well done. He won the Vardon Trophy again, having topped the Order of Merit in the European Tour for the sixth time in succession.
And he wants his rivals to know that he is not finished yet. "Hopefully, I haven't played my best yet," he said after clinching his six of the best with a third-place finish behind Clarke. "Even though I feel I've improved in every one of my 11 years as a professional, I think I can still improve more in certain circumstances."
Among his long-term targets is to do himself justice in the British Open. Five times in the last seven years - years that have seen him regularly produce golf of a level many can only dream of - Montgomerie has not even survived the half-way cut in the Open. Then there are the American majors. Having lost two playoffs and had another second place finish, he knows his game is good enough.
Montgomerie earned £993,077 for his season's work - and this doesn't include the $1 million first prize at the Andersen Consulting World Championship in Arizona in January, nor his other winnings in America ($321,000), or his Dunhill Cup and World Matchplay money (£55,000).
As Westwood remarked: "Only when you know how hard it is to try to win the Order of Merit once, can you appreciate how hard it is to win it six times."
Montgomerie, who visits Buckingham Palace tomorrow to receive an MBE, holds Westwood and Clarke in the highest respect and hopes to be celebrating more Ryder Cup success with them in Boston next September.
"They are world class," he said. "Lee has proved himself on both sides of the Atlantic to be a great competitor and a wonderful golfer, while Darren has shown us what he can do by the way he won the Volvo Masters.
