Irish golfer Padraig Harrington sees himself winning the Grand Slam of golf majors one day, he has told the Belfast Telegraph

“Yes, I do think of winning a career Grand Slam. It's definitely a motivating thing... Yeah, why not. Everything is possible. Every day I go and hit a practice shot, I hope it's the day I find the secret (of the perfect golf swing) and I don't mind saying it.

“I saw an interview with Arnold Palmer when he was 70, coming off the course after a Seniors Tour event, and he told the world he believed he'd found the secret that day. I laughed and though ‘that'll be me. I'll be just like that in another 40 years.’”

Harrington begins his US season at the Northern Trust Open in Los Angeles in two weeks time, and he will be in the Algarve in Portugal for ten days before that with his coach Bob Torrance and fitness chief Dr.Liam Hennessey.

Meanwhile Ireland's other leading golfer Rory McIlroy flew to his winter training base in Dubai a week ago, and is gearing up for a shot at the Masters in April and his first year on the US tour.