Check in but no Czech out for Harrington’s clubs

Padraig Harrington

Pádraig Harrington is keeping his fingers crossed that his golf clubs turn up in Prague today after losing them in transit for the first time in 32 years.

The Dubliner flew direct to Prague from Newark for this week's D+D Real Czech Masters and was shocked to discover his clubs failed to make it when he stepped off his flight on Monday morning.

"First time in 32 years of travelling that my clubs have failed to arrive on the way to a tournament," the European Ryder Cup skipper tweeted. "Strange as it was a direct flight and I checked in 3 hours early. How lucky am I @EuropeanTour"

Harrington’s clubs were found in Newark yesterday evening and while he was waiting to see if they made last night’s flight to Prague, he had a back-up plan in place with his wife Caroline hastily assembling a second set.

Caroline's sister Susie, who is married to Harrington's caddie Ronan Flood, planned to take the back up clubs to Prague herself today should the originals fail to arrive.

Harrington, who finished second to Italian Andrew Pavan in the €1 million event last year, is joined at Albatross Golf Resort by Paul Dunne and Gavin Moynihan.