Bank bogeys as golf pro locked out of home

A bank moved to possess a family home yesterday — but targeted the wrong house.

Limerick-based golf professional Lee Harrington, who has caddied for Tiger Woods, found himself locked out of his home.

The locks in his Adare home had been changed by a bank with which he never had any dealings.

“It was a complete case of mistaken identity, they got the wrong house,” he said.

Mr Harrington is the resident professional at Limerick Golf Club in the city.

But on returning to his home in Adare, he found the locks at the front and back doors of his house had been changed, while the electricity and water had been cut off.

According to sources, he discovered a bank had carried out the ‘lock down’.

A shocked Mr Harrington refused to comment further last night, saying the matter was now being dealt with by his solicitor, Laura Casey from Adare. She has also refused to comment.

His house ‘Ruttles Cottage’ at The Avenue, Adare, was built by the Dunraven estate in 1852.

Mr Harrington, aged 38, purchased the property in 2005. It was previously owned by Ms Kitt Ruttle, who was a close family friend.

Mr Harrington caddied for Tiger Woods when the American star played JP McManus at Limerick Golf Club in 2001.

A source close to Mr Harrington said last night: “Lee was devastated.

“He did not know what was going on, being locked out and then, when he finally got into the house, found out the water and electricity had been cut off.

“It seems this bank were after somebody else and got the wrong property. It is the talk of the place,” the source said.

The source said the golfer had no dealings with the bank which had ordered the action and only learned of the identity of the financial body when he asked his solicitor, Ms Casey, to examine the matter.

Mr Harrington is a native of Adare and his later father, Jackie Harrington was a former golf international and winner of the Irish Close championship.