Padraig Harrington of Ireland holds up the Claret Jug after winning the British Open on Sunday. (Matt Dunham/Associated Press)

In a British Open tournament that had more than its share of history repeating, it was last year's champion who came out on top.

Padraig Harrington of Ireland used a clutch eagle-three on No. 17 to build a four-stroke lead over Briton Ian Poulter and hung on Sunday for his second straight Open Championship at Royal Birkdale in Southport, England.

"I'm quite enjoying this," said Harrington, as he raised the Claret Jug. "I don't think I'll get down off the stage."

Harrington, who wasn't even sure he was going to play after injuring his right wrist while practising last weekend, fired a final round of one-under 69 on another blustery day to finish at three-over 283 for the tournament.

"I knew my game was there, but maybe this week I made the right decision at the right time, and got the right break at the right time," he said.

The win was his first since his win at the Open last year, but moves him to the No. 3 ranking in the world.

He also becomes the first European in more than a century to defend his title at the Open Championship. James Braid last achieved the feat in 1905-06.

It was a much more comfortable finish for Harrington than his win last year at Carnoustie, which required a playoff against Sergio Garcia.

The Irishman was at his best on the back nine, where he was bogey-free with two birdies and the eagle on the 17th.

Harrington's repeat denied third-round leader Greg Norman, 53, in his quest for a third British Open title in as many decades after he faded late and finished with a round of 77 and in a tie for third with Henrik Stenson of Sweden at nine-over-par 289.

The loss also prevented him from becoming the oldest winner of a major. Instead, comparisons will be drawn to Norman's performance at the 1996 Masters. That was the last time he held the lead heading into the final round of a major, only to see his six-stroke lead over Nick Faldo evaporate with a 78 on Sunday.

That loss cemented his reputation as a player who has been the runner-up at a staggering eight majors as opposed to the winner of the Claret Jug at Turnberry in 1986 and then again at Royal St. George's seven years later.

"Where does it rank in those? Probably not as high as some of the other ones," said Norman, who now is 1-7 when he has at least a share of the 54-hole lead in majors. "Quite honestly, I'm sure I surprised a lot of people."

But it was hard to find much fault in what was an unexpected but memorable return for the Shark. The Australian married tennis great Chris Evert three weeks ago and the couple were on the tail end of their honeymoon when Norman hit Royal Birkdale to tune up for the Senior British Open and Senior U.S. Open.

By Sunday, he was 18 holes away from a third Open Championship.

"I walk away from here disappointed, but with my head held high, because I hung in there," Norman said.

Poulter makes late charge

Poulter charged up the final round leaderboard and had the crowd behind him in his attempt to become the first Briton to capture the Open Championship since Faldo in 1992. He went bogey-free over his final 15 holes and made a 15-foot par on the 18th hole for a 69 on the day to give himself a chance.

Poulter then went straight to the practice range to prepare for a possible playoff, but put his clubs away when he learned of Harrington's eagle on the 17th.

The gallery also found another unlikely local hero in amateur Chris Wood, 20, who closed in on the lead until three straight bogeys on the back nine sank his chances. He still finished with a 72, tied for fifth at 10-over 290 with Jim Furyk (71).

"It's been the best week of my life," Wood said.

Calgary's Stephen Ames recovered from a 78 on Saturday to shoot a solid one-over 71 in the final round — finishing among a group of nine golfers in a tie for seventh.

Mike Weir of Brights Grove, Ont., shot a second straight 74 to finish the tournament in a tie for 39th at 16-over.

Norman fades on back nine

Norman started the final round with a two-stroke lead but was in trouble early on Sunday. He bogeyed the first hole after landing in a pot bunker and then earned another after he missed the green wide left on No. 2.

His tee shot on No. 3 sailed into the deep rough which eventually cost him another stroke and an eight-foot putt on the sixth only saved him from a double-bogey.

All the while, Harrington was knocking down pars on the first six holes, which gave him a two-stroke advantage as the pair stepped up to the tee box on No. 7.

But Harrington gave that momentum back with three straight bogeys of his own and suddenly Norman had a one-stroke lead at the turn.

The lead swung right back to the defending champ when Norman's tee shot on the tenth found the deep rough for another eventual bogey.

No. 13 then spelled the end of Norman's title hopes as he scored another bogey while Harrington knocked in his first birdie of the day from 12 feet.

Poulter however, was doing his best to apply some pressure to the final pairing a few holes ahead.

His birdie on No. 16 brought him closer but it was his inability to drain birdies on the par-5's that may have cost him.

"I can only do what I can do," Poulter said. "And I've done my best."

With files from the Associated Press