Red-faced Taoiseach says golfer is one of his sporting heroes

TAOISEACH BRIAN Cowen said the golfer Philip Walton, who he imitated, had been one of his “great sporting heroes”.

Mr Walton took exception to the Taoiseach mimicking his distinctive high-pitched voice during the now infamous night at the Ardilaun Hotel in Galway in the early hours of Tuesday morning.

He has since written to the Taoiseach to ask him for more details and the “exact context” in which the Taoiseach chose to mimic him.

Mr Cowen, for his part, said he had not received any letter yet, but would deal with it when it arose. Along with Mr Walton, the Taoiseach imitated fellow golfer Des Smyth and GAA commentator Mícheál Ó Muircheartaigh.

Speaking yesterday, the Taoiseach said: “There was no intention whatever on my part to be in anyway dismissive. These are all great sporting heroes and I was engaged in something which I hope would not be regarded as in any way hurtful.”

Mr Walton was not available for comment yesterday, but sources close to him say he did not “suffer a sense of humour” failure, but was sensitive about his voice, having had a speech impediment which required therapy throughout his childhood.

“It’s a very old joke and not a funny one,” the source said.

The Malahide-born golfer sank the putt that won the Ryder Cup for Europe in 1995.

He has not had a European tour card for nearly a decade. Instead, he has been active on the Irish PGA tour where he is currently 12th in the order of merit.

He competed in the Irish Open during the summer and was playing a pro-am in Connemara yesterday. He is also involved in Fore Ireland which is helping to develop young Irish golfing talent. Mr Walton (48) has ambitions to play on the senior circuit in the US. He will not be able to join that tour, though, until he reaches 50.

His agent Rossa McDermott said: “He got dragged into the public domain and felt that the only way he could address that is to put it in the public domain that he was going to ask for a clarification and explanation of what had happened.”