Golf: Press love golf's Mr 'Rentaquote'

THEY STILL have a good laugh on a golf tour when Padraig Harrington's caddy, John O'Reilly, grabs a pint and blasts off.

"Did I ever tell you about the time I fooled the East German border guards...?"

"Give it a rest," Harrington says, and then in muted tones jokes: "Where did I get this guy?"

Of all the player-caddy marriages on the European golf circuit, this one has the right blend of Irish humour to lighten up those grey days on tour.

For Harrington, who has already made pounds 1 million in prize money and who this season is still well above the breadline, having O'Reilly around is a comfort.

But Harrington, too, has won over the hearts of the golf writers who, on a 'dry' day, look around for someone like the Dubliner who can turn a phrase.

Like that lovely moment at the Oxfordshire in the second round of the Benson & Hedges International in his first season on tour.

Harrington walked off the last green after taking a 13 at the 17th and of course, the press pack were waiting.

After a few awkward moments, one guy asked him to talk about his calamity.

Harrington was unruffled. "I didn't know how many balls I hit into the water until I asked my caddy how many we had left in the bag."

The writers were jumping on their phones before he got as far as the locker room. It was instant approval.

Harrington, who nearly made the Ryder Cup last summer and who is fast off the blocks again this season, does not just have the game to survive on tour, he also has the most gentle of mood swings.

But all the time, O'Reilly is at his side with his droll sense of humour and sharp one-liners.

"I don't worry about John," says Harrington. "He knows his way around."

After all, the grey-haired veteran caddy had learned the ropes with Des Smyth and Peter Townsend. He is just the man to have in your corner when you are coming down the stretch and the nerves are on edge.

As Harrington says: "I wanted an experienced caddy who knew the game."

HE got that and more, someone whose company is always sought, even by the other tour players at the end of a hard day's play when post mortems are better carried out over a light ale.

For someone who is still finding his way on tour, Harrington has already taken the golfing public's breath away.

The way he is going, he should have enough money stashed away in 10 years' time to sit back and, like the qualified accountant he is, invest wisely for his later years.

All the time, however, he shies away from the label of superstar which we too readily tend to burden players with when they become big winners.

"I would never be easy with that," he says.

"I am a golf pro trying to make a go of it on tour and that is about it.

"Even if I win more tournaments, it does not mean that I am something that bit special.

"There are so many targets to meet and there are too many players out there who could chew you up when they are on their blow."

AMODEST man, he says: "I like to take things as they come. Winning the World Cup with Paul has given me more satisfaction than any other victory.

"Coming home for the celebrations was just great. But there is much, much more to achieve and I have got to just keep working my butt off if I am to eventually get there."

His dad, Paddy Harrington, a former Cork All-Ireland footballer, always felt that his boy would make it into the big time.

"Nothing seemed to ruffle him when he first started to put scores together as a kid," says Paddy. "I never saw an outburst and I knew then that he would have no personality problems.

"Maybe he needs to sharpen his short game, but so far so good. He has done well."

Indeed. Remember his first trip to Druids Glen for the Irish Open when he gave a kid pounds 20 to go up a tree and retrieve his ball?

Just loose change for a golf pro who has been lining his pockets ever since.

Copyright 1998 MGN LTD
Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights Reserved.