It's not easy for a celebrated sportsman to have a quiet weekend in Dublin, especially if Ireland are playing South Africa in a rugby international. And you happen to be Ernie Els. It becomes especially difficult, however, when one's movements are misguided by a well-intentioned associate.

Els, of course, has become a regular visitor to this country since receiving a sponsor's invitation to the Irish Open at Killarney in 1992.

That was when, as a not-so-callow youth of 22, he shot a closing 77 on the Killeen Course to share 65th place with another invitee, Jody Fanagan, behind the champion, Nick Faldo.

So, after doing the rounds last Friday night, when he met the South African players and officials, he was hoping for a quiet spot where he could have a few drinks while watching the telecast of the England-Australia match on Saturday afternoon. His driver knew the place - exactly. They wouldn't do better than Gleeson's licensed premises in Booterstown Avenue. They'd be safe there.

Sure enough, on arrival in the lounge with his wife Leizl, a friend and his driver, the former US Open champion found everything as his driver had promised. And he settled down to watch the match from Twickenham. That was when John Gleeson told him the news. "I informed Ernie that a party of 60, comprising all of the South African players and officials, were gathered only a short distance from him in the Willow Bar," said Gleeson. "They had booked it for the afternoon to watch the Twickenham match on the big screen and our instructions were to keep them well supplied with coffee and soft drinks."

On hearing this, Els pleaded: "Do me a favour. Don't tell them I'm here." And Gleeson didn't. While the active sportsmen of the weekend settled for non-alcoholic drinks, Els savoured some pints of Guinness in glorious isolation.

"As soon as the match was over, the South African party disappeared while Ernie stayed on to pose for some photographs," added the owner.

Earlier this week, I had a phone call from a golfing friend of mine. Because of what follows, he made we swear not to even hint at his identity, so let's just say he's from the midlands.

The conversation went something like this: "You'll never guess who I was sitting beside at Lansdowne Road last Sunday. And given how friendly he's supposed to be, I was a little surprised at his cool reaction when I asked him if he had heard whether Tiger won in Thailand.

"Okay, so who was it?"

"It was Ernie Els," I said. With that, I hadn't the heart to tell him it was one of the least inspired guesses I had ever made.

"I wouldn't pray to say please can I win this week, but I might pray to ask for my work to pay off."

- Padraig Harrington, who, after next month's World Cup, is set for a winter practising, having won twice this year.