By Brian Keogh

Liverpool fan Gary Murphy is leading a battle of the bulge with his Red Devil caddie.

Bagman Gerry Byrne has bet Murphy that he will weigh less than his boss before the Open at Carnoustie in July.

And both men are determined not to lose such a fat bet with what's at stake.

If Murphy loses, he will have to wear a Manchester United jersey every evening for a week.

But if he wins, Dubliner Byrne will have to don the shirt of the mighty Reds.

Byrne said: "I think Gary is winning at the moment. At the start I weighed 95 kilos he was 105 kilos.

"I wanted to do it on Body Mass Index but Gary insisted on a straight battle on the scales.

"Adare Manor certainly helped me lose a bit more. It was such a tough week."