Irish caddie in Tiger mix?

Colin Byrne and Edoardo Molinari at Congressional. Picture Fran Caffrey/www.golffile.ieTop bagman Colin Byrne is ready to drop everything to caddie for Tiger Woods.

The Dubliner has scorched from rank outsider to second favourite with bookies Paddy Power to land the job following Woods’ sacking of Kiwi Steve Williams.

And while he insists he’s heard nothing yet, Byrne says he’d jump at the chance to work for the 14-time major winner.

Set to caddie for Irish amateur tigress Lisa Maguire in next week’s Ladies Irish Open, Byrne said: “I’d love to do it. It would be flattering and a great challenge to work for someone that talented.

“But I’ve heard nothing. I know him obviously and we’d be on first name terms after all the years I worked for Retief Goosen.

“But I am sure he is not in a rush because I don’t think he’s going to play for a while.”

Byrne split with Italian Edoardo Molinari after the US Open and is currently enjoying some down time as he moves into a new house in Dublin.

And while he’ll caddie for newly-crowned European Ladies Amateur champion Lisa Maguire in the Ladies Irish Open at Killeen Castle next week, he’s ready to put up the glare of the spotlight on Woods’ bag.

He said: “The peripheral stuff that goes on around Tiger would be the biggest challenge.

“You have to be a minder as well doing the basics of caddying but you just have to do your job.

“I had it to a degree with Retief Goosen when I worked for him in his prime but the intensity with someone like Tiger would be huge.”

Woods slipped outside the world’s top 20 yesterday for the first time since 1997.

Now ranked 21st, he hasn’t played since May because of knee and Achilles tendon injuries

Tiger’s new caddie betting
2/1  Paul Tesori
7/2  Colin Byrne
6/1  Tony Navarro
7/1  Byron Bell
7/1  Ricci Roberts
8/1  Fanny Sunesson
8/1  John Wood
9/1  Terry McNamara
10/1  Billy Foster
16/1  Brett Waldman
20/1  JP Fitzgerald
20/1  Joe La Cava
20/1  Mick Doran
500/1  Powakaddy