Every year around this time our neighbours across the Irish Sea treat the sporting world to a bonanza of world class events like the British Grand Prix, Wimbledon and the Open Championship.

You would be forgiven for not recognising many of the players on top of the leaderboard going into the Irish Open final round yesterday.

When Rory McIlroy pushed his second shot wide on the 15th hole, his reaction said it all.

The buzz around the media centre yesterday left you in no doubt as to the status of the Irish Open, with a who’s who of golf gracing the interview room in quick succession.

Over the past 30 years Europe more often than not have found a way to disrupt golf’s natural order in the Ryder Cup.

As prepared as Paul McGinley undoubtedly was for this week’s Ryder Cup matches at Gleneagles, there were a number of outstanding issues that would have made him nervous.

AS Rory McIlroy stepped onto the first tee box in the final round of the USPGA Championship on Sunday night, he would have been well aware of the calibre of the chasing pack.

More and more you hear the whispering in the golfing corridors; Is this it?

He has watched his great friend and rival Rory McIlroy win three major championships already.

Winning the Open Championship was never going to be easy and so it shouldn’t be either.