Rory McIlroy confessed the conditions were almost too easy as he joined a host of players in cashing in on a low-scoring first day of the Dubai Desert Classic.

Graeme McDowell looks set to end his recent poor form after shooting a two under par 69 on the opening day of the French Open on the outskirts of Versailles.

The European Tour’s £6m season-ending event began on time despite a torrential overnight storm in Dubai today – but it was over for Ireland’s Shane Lowry.

World number one Rory McIlroy was resigned to missing his first cut since the US Open in June after a shocking finish to his second round at the Hong Kong Open today.

Lee Westwood had an injury scare today just 12 days before the start of the Open Championship at Royal Lytham.

One shocking hole put Open champion Darren Clarke in danger of another missed cut in the Alstom French Open at Le Golf National near Paris today.

Rory McIlroy and Lee Westwood still have a chance to go to world number one this weekend – and they do not have to beat Tiger Woods to get there.

Rory McIlroy and Lee Westwood kept alive their hopes of securing the world No 1 ranking when they cruised into the last 16 of the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship.

GRAEME MCDOWELL was close to throwing up while fellow Irishman Michael Hoey just had trouble simply keeping his trousers up on day two of the rain affected Barclays Singapore Open.

After a delayed start caused by vandalism to four greens overnight, England’s Simon Dyson and Robert Dinwiddie set a fast early pace at the KLM Open in Holland today.

The bells are ringing for America’s new golf star Keegan Bradley – but they could also be sounding more bad news to come for struggling superstar Tiger Woods.

History was made in Atlanta tonight as little-known Keegan Bradley, who was five shots behind with only three holes left and in the first major of his life, beat fellow American Jason Dufner in a three-hole play-off to become USPGA champion.

History was being made in Atlanta tonight, but a play-off was needed to decide whether it was Jason Dufner – five clear with only four to play – or fellow American Keegan Bradley who achieved it.

Luke Donald and Lee Westwood were resigned tonight to missing out a major title again as little-known American Jason Dufner headed towards victory in the USPGA Championship in Atlanta.

Lee Westwood and the normally cool Luke Donald were fuming last night as their hopes of a first major title were left hanging by a thread.

Rory McIlroy played on in the USPGA Championship in Atlanta today with his right arm still bandaged up.

RORY McILROY tried all he knew but was unable to live with the scorching pace set by Steve Stricker and a host of other Americans in the final round of the Memorial tournament at Muirfield Village, Ohio, yesterday.

Swede Alex Noren won his second European Tour title at Celtic Manor today – and this time all it needed was solid golf rather than a moment of magic.

Less than two weeks away from his defence of the US Open title Graeme McDowell suffered the potentially devastating shock of an 81 – the joint worst round of his entire European Tour career – at Celtic Manor today.

Defending champion Graeme McDowell was one of the biggest casualties today as Celtic Manor – scene of so much glory for him last year – turned into a course of carnage.

Defending champion Ross Fisher staged a remarkable fightback to make the last 16 of the Volvo World Match Play at Finca Cortesin in Spain today.

Rory McIlroy is confident he would know what to do if he finds himself four ahead with a round to go at the US Open next month.

South African Thomas Aiken won the Spanish Open by two shots in Barcelona today for his first European Tour title.

South African Thomas Aiken was in sight of his first European Tour title after doubling his lead to four shots in the first six holes of the Spanish Open final round at El Prat near Barcelona today.

WORLD number three Luke Donald will be trying for a notable double after confirming yesterday he will be part of the 24-man field for the Volvo World Match Play Championship in Spain in two weeks.

It might be dubbed the “Battle of the Chokers”, but Nick Watney will not care after beating fellow American Dustin Johnson to win the WGC-Cadillac Championship in Miami tonight.

Tiger Woods had the joint best round of the day, but it was two fellow Americans who were leading the race for the WGC-Cadillac Championship as it entered the closing stretch in Miami tonight.

Italian Francesco Molinari has confirmed that he will be playing next week’s WGC-Accenture Match Play in Arizona after his wife Valentina gave birth to their first child two weekends ago.

Ian Poulter is set to start the defence of his WGC-Accenture Match Play title against 2009 Open champion Stewart Cink if all the world’s top 64 show up in Tucson next week.

Spain’s Alvaro Quiros holed-in-one as he beat the cream of world golf – Tiger Woods included – to become Omega Dubai Desert Classic champion today.

RORY MCILROY is confident of a second wire-to-wire victory even if it means an eventual Omega Dubai Desert Classic final day showdown with Tiger Woods.

Martin Kaymer returned to a happy hunting ground today and quickly found it to his liking again, while Padraig Harrington wasn't far behind the German at the Abu Dhabi course.

World number one Lee Westwood produced another fine round to ease his way to a first-ever Nedbank Golf Challenge victory at Sun City today.

TRIPLE major winner Pádraig Harrington ignored reporters and hastily headed to the practice range last night despite taking a one-stroke lead after the first round of the Sun City Challenge.

Adam Scott closed in on the Singapore Open title after the Australian established a three-shot lead at Sentosa Golf Club but a weather disruption of five and a half hours means the European Tour event will not be decided until tomorrow morning.

Padraig Harrington is one of five European Ryder Cup-winning players that will take part in the Nedbank Golf Challenge in South Africa during early December.

It was quickly all change at the top when the 3 Irish Open resumed in Killarney today – overnight leader David Howell double-bogeyed the first hole and 2004 winner Brett Rumford birdied the first two to take over.

Ireland's Darren Clarke was joined on the top of the leaderboard by compatriot Damien McGrane as the Scottish Open resumed this morning at a wet Loch Lomond.

Sweden’s Alexander Noren and in-form South African Charl Schwartzel battled testing windy conditions claim the clubhouse lead in the first round of the Dubai Desert Classic today.

Dane Anders Hansen set a strong early pace on a blustery opening morning of the Dubai Desert Classic at the Emirates Golf Club.

European golf’s man of the moment Pablo Martin extended his lead in the South Africa Open to three shots over the opening five holes of his third round at Pearl Valley today.

Ireland's Gareth Maybin described himself as a "no-name" when he played with Lee Westwood in the final group on the final day of the South African Open last year.

Ian Poulter carded a closing 72, one-over-par, to edge out China’s Liang Wen-chong by one shot and complete a nervous wire-to-wire victory in the Barclays Singapore Open today.

Ian Poulter’s one-shot lead at the Barclays Singapore Open remained intact this morning as the rain-affected first round suffered another delay on the second morning at Sentosa Golf Club.

Ian Poulter shrugged off a six-week break to claim the lead midway through the first round of the Barclays Singapore Open today.

RORY McILROY grabbed the scalp he had craved all week as underdogs Britain and Ireland sent Continental Europe to their fifth successive defeat yesterday.

Rory McDowell grabbed the scalp he had craved all week as underdogs Britain and Ireland sent Continental Europe to their fifth successive defeat today.

Chris Wood had luck on his side as he made it three wins out of three for Britain and Ireland against Continental Europe at the Vivendi Trophy in Paris today.

IT might have been Tom Watson, but instead it is South African James Kingston who is the oldest winner on the European Tour this year.