Harrington to play left-handed for fun

By Brian Keogh

Padraig Harrington started his winter break in Las Vegas yesterday - playing golf left-handed against his pals.

The Dubliner joined his soon-to-be married caddie Ronan Flood and some Irish friends on three-day stag party in "Sin City".

And they planned to let their hair down on the golf course, forcing Harrington to play left handed or with just one club.

Flood's brother Kitt, a two-handicapper, is left-handed and Harrington will use his clubs to take on the rest in a money match.

Harrington beamed: "There's a load of us going down to Vegas for a few days and they are forcing me to play left-handed.

"Ronan's brother Kitt is left handed so I will get his clubs. I can't tell you what the bet is yet because we are trying to negotiate that at the moment.

"They also want to take me on with one club as well and I am going to take a seven iron for the one-club test.

"I obviously need something to get some distance off the tee and and I need a little loft to get out of bunkers.

"So that will be the club of choice, seven or eight."

Flood will marry Harrington's sister-in-law Suzie Gregan on January 2, with Harrington acting as an usher at the wedding.

The former banker is Harrington's best friend and since they teamed up together the bagman has been dubbed "The Shadow" by his fellow caddies and the tour players.

A friend said: "It's obvious why he's called The Shadow. Everywhere Padraig goes, Ronan follows."