Harrington guest of Obama on St Patty's Day

Two-times British Open winner Padraig Harrington will be a guest of US president Barack Obama at the White House St Patrick's Day party next week, the Irish golfer told reporters on Wednesday.

"I got an invite to go to the St Patrick's Day celebrations at the White House, I won't say it's perfectly convenient, but it's worked out obviously as I'm in the States," said Harrington, who will be playing at a tournament near Tampa in Florida next week.

"I can fly up and come back down in the same day and meet the President - it's very nice," said the 38-year-old.

Dubliner Harrington, ranked 13th in the world and in the States for this week's WGC-CA Championship at Doral, said he was hoping to get a chance to evaluate the president at close range.

"I'm looking forward to it. It's something different. You know, obviously President Obama is one of the most charismatic people of the world, one of the most powerful people in the world; you want to meet these people and see what they are like and get your own judgment on things.

"You can tell a lot when you meet somebody, so I'm looking forward to that and plus, I've never been to the White House."

- Reuters