Harrington has cheeky plan for Olympic domination

GOLF:INSISTING HE has the best interests of Irish golf at heart, Pádraig Harrington has called on Rory McIlroy and Graeme McDowell to do the decent thing and declare for Great Britain when the 2016 Olympic Games roll around.

The three-time major winner has dropped to 90th in the world rankings and as it stands is the fourth highest-ranked Irishman behind Darren Clarke (52). Were those pesky kids, McIlroy (two) and McDowell (11), prepared to arrive in Rio de Janeiro under a Union Jack, everyone would be happy, he says.

“If Rory and Graeme declare for Great Britain, it means we get two more Irish guys into it – as in myself and Darren Clarke get to play,” he told Setanta Sports show The Cut Line to be aired tomorrow at 10pm.

Presumably, he’s sporting a cheeky, mischievous grin at the time and, if not, he should be by the time he gets around to saying: “So, if somebody [Harrington, in this case] wants Rory to be as Irish as he can be, he better declare for GB and we get two more guys in.

“When it comes down to it, it will be a complete no-brainer because nobody is losing out, you’re actually just gaining a couple of more spots for Irish guys.”

Of course, the Olympic Council of Ireland, not to mention the Golfing Union and every sport-loving Irishman, woman and child, might dispute the "nobody is losing out" bit, when a product of Irish golf receives a gold medal to a rousing rendition of God Save the Queen.