Golf:Padraig Harrington is taking time out from his US Masters build-up to meet President Obama on St Patrick's Day. The Dubliner, who will compete at this week's WGC CA Championship in Florida, will visit the White House for the official function next Wednesday.
“He’s hosting a party for our Taoiseach Brian Cowen and his wife and I’m a guest,” said the three-time major champion, who will return to Florida for the Transitions Championship which starts the following morning.
“I’m looking forward to it — it’s something different. Obviously President Obama is one of the most charismatic people in the world, one of the most powerful people in the world. You want to meet these people and see what they are like and get your own judgment on things. You can tell a lot when you meet somebody.
“Plus I’ve never been to the White House. I won’t say it’s perfectly convenient, but I’m in the States and I can fly up and down in the same day. Very nice.
“Obviously he is very keen on golf. He’s a left-hander, isn’t he? I don’t know, maybe we will talk about golf. Who knows? I’ve got a week to come up with something interesting (to ask). I’m sure everything’s been asked before.”
Addressing the media in Miami yesterday, Harrington was forced into handing out an impromptu geography lesson to one ill-informed gentleman of the press.
Asked if a victory in Doral would represent a triumph for Ireland or Britain, the somewhat nonplussed Dubliner was only too happy to set the reporter straight.
“By asking that question, you haven't shown very much insight into anything, so I'll let you go do the homework on it,” he replied. “That would be like if a Canadian won here, would it be a triumph for the Americans or the Canadians?
“I'm not from Britain. I'm Irish. I think you want to talk to one of the guys from Northern Ireland. I'm from the other side, in the Republic: Green, white and orange.”
Ian Poulter, meanwhile, has spoken of how proud he was to receive messages of support from his heroes after last month’s WGC World Match Play win.
“Greg Norman gave me a call, Nick Faldo dropped me a line and Arnold Palmer wrote me a letter,” said Poulter in Miami today on the eve of the WGC-CA Championship.
“I can’t express how much it means. It’s just so nice - Greg was just off to Asia and took time out of his schedule to call. “And when Arnie sends you a letter to say he was watching and ‘congratulations, well played’ it can’t really get better than that.”
There was also a text from Ryder Cup captain Colin Montgomerie among the many other messages and with him now a near-certainty for a third cap in October Poulter feels a huge weight lifted.
“I can have fun and I’ve never had that mindset in a Ryder Cup year,” added the world number five, who went right to the wire before clinching a debut in 2004 and two years ago, of course, was given a controversial wild card by Faldo after not going back to Europe for the final qualifying event.
“Winning such a big event so early in the year has taken the pressure off and that’s massive.”
This week could see Poulter become Europe’s top player in the world for the first time. Lee Westwood, the only one ahead of him now at fourth, is looking to make his own move forward, though, and now feels fully recovered from the right knee strain he suffered at home two weeks ago.
“I did it pulling a pair of boots on — something as innocuous as that,” said Westwood. “I got in the wrong position I guess, but my trainer Steve (McGregor) came over the same afternoon and his assessment was that it would take seven to 10 days.
“I nearly didn’t play last week (in the Honda Classic) and everything I did there was a big bonus.” He finished in a tie for ninth.