Pádraig putts woes aside as he reveals plan to join Twitterati

PÁDRAIG HARRINGTON finally plans to join Tiger Woods, Ian Poulter and the rest of golf’s world stars on Twitter.

But when asked for a test “tweet” about the second round 70 that left him nine shots off the lead in the Dubai World Championship at halfway, he said: “I’m off to practice my putting.”

The Dubliner used the blade 30 times for the second day in a row and while his season won’t end until after next week’s Nedbank Challenge in Sun City, he’s already making plans for 2011.

Those plans include his arrival on Twitter — the social networking site that allows users to send their followers short messages of 140 characters or less.

With players like Poulter and Stewart Cink attracting over one million followers, Harrington is aware it is a marketing tool that he cannot afford to ignore.

“It’s all part of marketing,” he said. “I think like all professional golfers we have an ego that we think we’re worth listening to. It’s an interesting phenomenon — and, at the end of the day, fans of mine want me to be on Twitter.”

Much of what is said on Twitter is good-natured banter and it’s hard to imagine Harrington making fun of Rory McIlroy’s new blond look, as Lee Westwood did yesterday when he tweeted: “I’m just pleased I wasn’t stood next to you when that flock of sea gulls flew over!”

Harrington said: “I’d be more likely to tweet about the latest Harry Potter movie or put out tweets about what my golf is like.”

Darren Clarke doesn’t tweet but he was frustrated on the greens as he hit a second successive 71 to lead the Irish challenge on two under with Peter Lawrie’s fine 67 leaving him a shot further back alongside Rory McIlroy (72).

Harrington and Gareth Maybin (71) are tied for 33rd in the 60-man field on level par, with Graeme McDowell (73) joint 42nd on one over and Damien McGrane (78) tied for last on plus eight.