A pre-Open Championship pep talk from coach Neil Manchip propelled a previously uneasy Lowrytowards his lowest opening round in a major and the business end of the leaderboard on a rollercoaster first day at Royal Portrush. But what would Rory McIlroy have given for Lowry’s 67 at The 148th Open?

Rory McIlroy has made an impressive start to the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play in Texas today.

Italy’s Matteo Manassero is ready to face the consequences of a poor season as he tries to save his European Tour card in the Andalucia Valderrama Masters.

I was fortunate to play a number of French Open tournaments around Le Golf National. It is an outstanding test of golf with a set-up more akin to what you would experience in a major championship than that at a regular tour venue.

Thomas Bjorn faces the first tough decision of his Ryder Cup captaincy as he prepares to name his four wild cards for the contest with the United States.

Padraig Harrington won at Carnoustie in 2007 and is the last player to win back-to-back titles.

Simon Thornton (Tulfarris Golf Resort) edged out Neil O’Briain (Old Conna GC) on the first play-off hole to win the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open qualifier at Rosapenna Hotel and Golf Resort.

Dustin Johnson got to world No 1 by combining scintillating wedge play with enormous power and precision iron play.

China’s Haotong Li was the shock leader at a late stage of Thursday’s first round at Augusta National until eventually a few shots slipped away.

Bubba Watson sees golf differently from anyone else.

Rory McIlroy insists his much-criticised putting is good enough to secure a first Masters title and complete a career Grand Slam.

Sweden’s Alex Noren shot a four-under-par 66 for the early lead as Tiger Woods was at even par in the opening round of Florida’s Honda Classic yesterday.

Jason Day eventually clinched the Farmers Insurance Open title following a tense battle which saw a Monday finish and six play-off holes at Torrey Pines.

Bernd Wiesberger fired an opening round of 67 to take a one-shot lead into day two of the Nedbank Golf Challenge in Sun City hosted by Gary Player.

A relaxed Rory McIlroy made the most of a little help from his friends as he tries to end a disappointing season in style in the British Masters.

A relaxed Rory McIlroy made the most of a little help from his friends as he tries to end a disappointing season in style in the British Masters.

Rory McIlroy needed the help of a spectator to keep his first round of the British Masters on track as he tries to end a disappointing season in style at Close House.

Miguel Angel Jimenez has his own record as the oldest winner in European Tour history in his sights after making a flying start to the Omega European Masters.

English duo Danny Willett and Ian Poulter made the early running on the first day of the 146th Open Championship at Royal Birkdale.

China's Li Haotong faces the wrath of his mother after she waded into a pond at Le Golf National to retrieve his putter - only to find it had been snapped in half.

Paul Dunne has missed the cut at the Nordea Masters on the European Tour.

Graeme McDowell produced a grandstand finish to finish in one under par 71 and an impressive opening to The Players Championship at Ponte Vedra last night.

Defending champion Jason Day shrugged off a poor finish to his opening round as he targeted an achievement which proved beyond the likes of Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Greg Norman and Jack Nicklaus.

Already the smallest field among majors, the Masters is shrinking the field for the Par 3 Contest.

Open champion Henrik Stenson believes it will be one of the best achievements of his career if he can finish a memorable season as European number one for the second time.

Sweden’s Alex Noren moved into the world’s top 20 after holding his nerve to claim a remarkable third victory in his last eight events at the British Masters.

Niall Kearney and Jonathan Caldwell are safely through to next month’s second stage of the European Tour qualifying school.

Ireland’s Pádraig Harrington and Graeme McDowell are within striking distance at the halfway stage of the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open at Castle Stuart.

A change of heart could pay massive dividends for Graeme McDowell after the former US Open champion survived a windswept opening day of the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open.

Pádraig Harrington is targeting a top-three finish in the Irish Open after a final hole bogey scuppered his chances of qualifying for the US Open via yesterday’s 36-hole Sectional Qualifier at Walton Heath.

Rory McIlroy has won the Omega Dubai Desert Classic by three shots today after a closing round of 70 saw him finish the tournament on 22-under-par.

Graeme McDowell is not only fighting Henrik Stenson for the European number one title, but he is equally determined to unseat the Swede to be voted European Tour ‘Player of the Year’.

Ernie Els claimed a wire-to-wire victory in the BMW International Open in Munich by one shot from Thomas Bjorn as he continued his preparations to defend his Open title next month.

Ernie Els busted out of last week’s Merion ‘torture chamber’ and singled out Irish-born caddy Colin Byrne for helping produce his lowest score in seven months on the opening day of the 25th anniversary BMW International Open in Munich .

Padraig Harrington’s first-round defeat to Graeme McDowell at the Accenture Match Play Championship has not cost him a place in the WGC-Cadillac Championship in Miami starting on Thursday week.

Shane Lowry overcame a sleepless night following his shock win over Rory McIlroy to crush Carl Pettersson 6 and 5 and set up a dream last 16 clash with pal Graeme McDowell in the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship.

Luke Donald suffered one of the biggest defeats of his career today as the giant-killing continued at the Accenture Match Play Championship in Tucson.

It takes a lot to rile Rory McIlroy these days but Nick Faldo’s insistence that his move to Nike is “dangerous” raised the Down man’s hackles ahead of his first-round showdown with pal Shane Lowry in the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship at Dove Mountain.

Lady Luck might have turned her back on the Irish in Tucson but Shane Lowry and Graeme McDowell will be putting friendship aside in tomorrow’s first round of the WGC-Accenture Match Play.

England’s Chris Wood made a shaky start in the final round of the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters in Doha today.

Double winning Ryder Cup star Peter Hanson believes Europe could be an even stronger force under Paul McGinley than compared to victorious former captains Colin Montgomerie and Jose Maria Olazabal.

Ryder Cup hero Martin Kaymer’s name has been added to the list of Europeans joining the US Tour next season.

Peter Hanson suspects that nothing less than his top form will do if he is to stop Rory McIlroy winning for a fifth time this year in Shanghai tomorrow.