Masters hero Padraig Harrington has pulled out of this week's Smurfit Irish PGA Championship - to save his season.

The Dubliner is out with an ankle ligament injury and will not return to the fairways for at least two weeks.

Harrington has been ordered by physiotherapists to take a complete rest if he is not to do serious damage to his ankle and risk being sidelined long term.

And with Darren Clarke also highly doubtful it looks likely that Paul McGinley will be the only current Ryder Cup player taking part at Westport on Thursday.

Dubliner Harrington, 30, was limping slightly during the Seve Trophy last weekend and reckons he has been carrying the injury since the Masters at Augusta.

He said: "At the moment the physios are telling me not to play golf. I've damaged my ankle a bit and I have it all bandaged up this week and they reckon I should rest.

"They reckon I need at to rest a couple of weeks for it to heal and if I go out again it's only going to make it worse.

"The two weeks in the states were on very hilly golf courses and perhaps that's where I picked up the injury."

Clarke is also unlikely to take part because of inflamed knee ligaments ad will decide today if he will travel to Westport.

"It's not looking good." said his manager Clarke's manager Chubby Chandler. "Darren has been struggling with his right knee since the Masters and he will see the physio again tomorrow before making a decision.

"It a combination of the hills at Augusta and being a stone over. One thing we're not going to do is jeopardise his entire season because of one event.

"He will decide tomorrow or on Wednesday what he is going to do but at the moment it doesn't look good."

Clarke was due to play at Westport alongside Paul McGinley and Harrington before taking a week off prior to the Benson and Hedges International Open at the Belfry.

The news is a massive blow to organiser Smurfit and the Irish PGA, who had been expecting bumper crowds at the event.

The prospect of seeing the big three of Irish golf in action, free of charge had generated great expectation in the West.

If Clarke fails to make it, McGinley will be the star attraction alongside defending champion Des Smyth and former Ryder Cup men Philip Walton and Eamonn Darcy.

Smyth, 48, will be seeking his seventh title.

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© Brian Keogh 2002

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