Another PGA Grand Slam chance for Harrington

Pádraig Harrington with the 2012 PGA Grand Slam of Golf trophy. Open champion Phil Mickelson has handed Pádraig Harrington the chance to win another PGA Grand Slam of Golf in Bermuda.

The left-hander has pulled out of October’s $1.35m clash of the season’s four major winners because of “an end-of-season scheduling conflict.”

And that means that Harrington will step in as a replacement for the second year running after taking the $600,000 top prize as a stand-in for the injured Ernie Els last year.

The three-time major winner will take on Masters champion Adam Scott, US Open champion Justin Rose and US PGA Champion Jason Dufner at Port Royal Golf Course from October 14-16.

The Dubliner, 42 later this month, made up for runner up finishes in 2007 and 2007 when he beat Webb Simpson, Bubba Watson and Keegan Bradley over 36 holes last year.

Despite a nightmare season, he gets another chance because the defending PGA Grand Slam of Golf champion gets first refusal if a current major champion is unable to compete.

If there are other withdrawals the Major Champions Points list — which charts the performance throughout the year of active major champions — is used to complete the field.