In-form Rory McIlroy leads the Irish charge at Pebble Beach this week after his sensational performance saw him win the Canadian Open last week.

When Rory McIlroy blew the lead and his chance to win his first major title at the 2011 Masters, he was so heartbroken that he ended up sobbing into the phone to his mother, convinced he’d let his one chance to win a major slip through his hands.

The 2016 Olympic Games have forced the PGA Tour to make one-off changes in their schedule for the 2015-16 season.

Rory McIlroy best avoid US television for a week or so because the Green Jacket that should have been his destiny will be on screen and on the wrong golfer’s back far too much for his liking.

Lee Westwood matched his best round in a Major and gave Ryder Cup captain Paul McGinley a boost as he took an early share of the first-round PGA Championship lead with American Kevin Chappell at Valhalla last night.

He’s back, but while Tiger Woods has returned to a major championship leaderboard, the 14-time major winner believes he still has so much more |potential to be unleashed.

There have been trials and tribulations aplenty since Tiger Woods last got his mitts on the Claret Jug here at Royal Liverpool but the 14-time Major winner’s refusal to accept anything less than victory has remained constant throughout.

Tiger Woods has a lot of work ahead in order to contend in the British Open after missing the cut in his comeback event following a three-month layoff.

Rory McIlroy will start today’s second round at the US Open confident he can cope with any adversity Pinehurst No 2 throws at him, deal with it and stay on an even keel.

Rory McIlroy’s break-up with fiancee Caroline Wozniacki is just the latest incident in a long line to threaten the Irishman’s golf game.

Tiger Woods says he is excited about his future prospects, despite giving the strongest indication yet that he will miss next month’s US Open.

Rory McIlroy will not rediscover his fluent swing until he finds a way to free his “scrambled” mind, according to renowned golfing guru David Leadbetter.

Rory McIlroy isn’t a ham-fisted heavyweight looking to knock seven bells out of Merion with an adrenaline-fuelled attack.

Rory McIlroy made winning the US Open last year look pretty easy but the defending champion knows this year’s championship course will not be set up with a view to further record breaking.

A week ago Rory McIlroy was being hailed as part of the only show in town, a prizefighter given top billing, primed for a title tilt against his arch rival Tiger Woods.

THE European Tour and sponsors, the Andalucian Tourist Board, must have been furious the Andalucian Masters was bypassed by many marquee names in favour of the Shanghai Masters.

RORY McILROY could skip next year’s Irish Open for a return to the scene of his US Open triumph if the European Tour opts for a late June date.

GRAEME McDOWELL will go into this evening’s PGA Championship first round looking to reset his expectations after admitting a top-10 finish no longer excited him.

IF Darren Clarke’s British Open victory at Sandwich proved anything it was that the adage about horses for courses still holds firm when it comes to golf’s Major championships.

AND your leading Irishman after 18 holes of the Irish Open is.... Colm Moriarty.

A ROUND with the Taoiseach and reports of a glamorous new girlfriend suggest a young US Open champion living the high life but Rory McIlroy is ready to learn again from his Major disappointments.

FOR a game so reliant on the power of positive thinking, Irish Open memories do not come much better than Shane Lowry’s.

RORY McILROY passed one difficult test with such ease three weeks ago that it would be all too easy to assume he can pass another one this weekend at Royal St George’s.

THE golfing world may be still buzzing about his US Open victory but Rory McIlroy has set his sights firmly on the future and the business of winning this week’s British Open.

LOUIS OOSTHUIZEN will begin the defence of his British Open title this week still searching for the groove that landed him golf’s biggest prize at St Andrews 12 months ago.

RORY McILROY still has plenty to prove before he can be placed alongside Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus, says Irish Ryder Cup hero Paul McGinley, who believes the new US Open champion is currently being “over-hyped”.

PÁDRAIG HARRINGTON believes Rory McIlroy should feel no extra pressure as the 22-year-old US Open champion heads into this week’s British Open as red-hot favourite.

IT is usually cowboys who find comfort at home on the range but that is exactly where Rory McIlroy is hoping his ongoing golfing success will spring from.

PÁDRAIG HARRINGTON signalled his intention not to slide into Rory McIlroy’s shadow as he confirmed his participation in his “fifth major”, next month’s Irish Open presented by Discover Ireland.

IF A golfer’s career can read like a novel, McIlroy has just whizzed through the first couple of chapters.

Colin McIlroy was left to reflect on an “exciting and emotional” night after watching his nephew Rory claim his first major title at the US Open.

The American press have lauded Rory McIlroy following his emphatic US Open success at Congressional.

THERE is the delightful story from Tiger Woods’ smashing triumph at the Masters in 1997 that seems worth relating in light of the events of the past four days here at Congressional Country Club.

IT MAY have come a little later than expected butwhen Rory McIlroy’s maiden major victory came in the US Open at Congressional Country Club last night it was all the sweeter for the deep disappointment of 10 weeks ago.

IT IS not a given that being one ofthe world’s best golfers at a US Open championship is enough to earn a golfer the undying love of the American golfing public.

SHANE LOWRY’S US Open debut came to a disappointing end at Congressional Country Club last night but defending champion Graeme McDowell and Pádraig Harrington will play over the weekend.

TODAY is a big day in Washington DC, with a momentous collision of giants set to unfold on a golf course in the American capital. Except we’re not talking about Congressional Country Club and the 111th US Open.

THREE different scores — one under par, one level and one over par — from three Irishmen but each one of them was happy with his lot after their opening rounds of the US Open at Congressional Country Club yesterday.

THERE was a serious incident at the side of Congressional’s 11th fairway as Graeme McDowell and his group arrived at the hole when a male spectator went into cardiac arrest.

THERE was a time not so long ago when Tiger Woods ruled the majors and picking a winner was easy. You didn’t have to get it right but few would argue with your selection.

PHIL MICKELSON will go into today’s opening round at Congressional Country Club believing he can win a fifth major in the championship he covets most.

WHEN one of your texting buddies is LeBron James and you decide to nip down to Haiti for UNICEF a week before a major championship it might be easy to conclude that focus may be an issue for Rory McIlroy ahead of his third US Open.

WHATEVER about his US Open chances this week, Rory McIlroy has been backed by Ernie Els to change the face of golf once he makes his major breakthrough.

A YEAR on from his Pebble Beach victory, Graeme McDowell is ready to start looking forward again — with this week’s US Open title defence marking the start of the rest of his career.

MARTIN KAYMER may be a marquee player at Congressional Country Club this week but such is the strength in depth in modern golf, the German believes the 2011 US Open champion could be any one of 40 players.

PÁDRAIG Harrington already had a European Tour win under his belt and was regarded as one of the most promising young players in the world when he turned up at the Congressional Country Club outside Washington DC for his first tilt at the US Open in 1997.

LEE WESTWOOD has returned to the scene of his first US Open appearance confident he has the game and the mentality to finally land the major title that has so far remained tantalisingly elusive.