Irish interest in the Ryder Cup doesn’t stop at the three players and the two vice-captains. There’s also a trio of bagmen keeping their employers on the short grass. Charlie Mulqueen explains

TWO-TIME Major champion Sandy Lyle closed with a superb eagle for an opening round 66 to set the pace in the Handa Irish Senior Open presented by Fáilte Ireland, as he chases his maiden European Senior Tour title.

Thomas Bjorn is tonight expected to quit one of the most important jobs in European golf, a week after his scathing criticism of Irish golfer Padraig Harrington.

COLIN MONTGOMERIE believes Tiger Woods’ presence would make it “a better win” for Europe if his team regain the Ryder Cup at Celtic Manor next year.

Former Ryder Cup player Andrew Coltart hit back from failing to qualify for the French Open on Tuesday by taking a share of the early lead at the BMW International Open in rain-sodden Munich today.

PAUL McGINLEY has confirmed his participation in The 3 Irish Open at Baltray next month.

Jose Maria Olazabal has called for a “special” performance as his European team seek to overturn a five-point deficit to defeat Asia and extend their 100% record in The Royal Trophy.

Former Ryder Cup captain Sam Torrance has added his voice to the dissenters who have criticised Nick Faldo for selecting Ian Poulter over Darren Clarke for this month’s clash against the USA.

Sweden's Martin Erlandsson equalled the lowest round ever seen at The Belfry today - long after most of the crowd had gone home.

Former amateur stars Lloyd Saltman and Rory McIlroy made exactly the start to their professional European Tour careers they were hoping for today.

The Ryder Cup pumped a record €143m directly into the Irish economy, it was revealed today.

An Post will issue two specially-commissioned postage stamps to mark the upcoming Ryder Cup at the K Club this Tuesday.

Welshman Bradley Dredge lost his grip on the Smurfit Kappa European Open in wet and windy Dublin this afternoon.

Welshman Bradley Dredge continued to lead the Smurfit Kappa European Open in wet and windy Dublin today – but he was not going to achieve a feat last achieved on the European tour 14 years ago.

Paul McGinley expected to be watching sports day at his children’s school this afternoon – but instead he was to be found capitalising on a massive stroke of luck and reigniting his bid for the Ryder Cup.

Darren Clarke, Paul Lawrie and Henrik Stenson were not sure they were glad to be back at The Belfry the way they started the Quinn Direct British Masters today.

Tournament golf returns to The Belfry in May – and for obvious reasons Paul McGinley is delighted.

SERGIO Garcia and Carl Pettersson are the two Europeans hoping to take advantage this week of the absence of seven of the world’s top 10 players from the opening event of the new US Tour season.

PAUL McGINLEY has won the RBS Shot of the Year Award for 2005 for his third shot approach to the 17th in the final round of the Volvo Masters.

Ireland’s Paul McGinley has won the RBS Shot of the Year Award for 2005 for his approach to the 17th hole in the final round of the Volvo Masters.

SPORTS ILLUSTRATED senior golf writer John Garrity told the conference yesterday that “access has disappeared” when it comes to top golfers on the US PGA.

Four new stamps celebrating the contribution of Irish golfers to the Ryder Cup were launched today ahead of Ireland hosting the event next year.

Paul McGinley and Michael Campbell knocked the top two seeds out of the HSBC World Match Play championship at Wentworth to set up a Sunday showdown for golf’s biggest cheque.

PLANS to stage the HSBC World Match Play championship at Wentworth a week before next year's Ryder Cup would be the wrong choice, claimed Thomas Bjorn.

Plans to stage the HSBC World Match Play championship at Wentworth a week before next year’s Ryder Cup would be the wrong choice, claimed Thomas Bjorn.

Tiger Woods got himself out of two tricky spots this morning to be tied for the lead with fellow American Kenny Perry entering the final round of the NEC world championship in Akron.

Charlie Mulqueen, The Heritage

Thomas Björn will compete in The Daily Telegraph Dunlop Masters next month on the championship course at the Marriott Forest of Arden near Birmingham.

After a day he will want to forget in a hurry, Ernie Els is in danger of missing his first halfway cut on the European tour in six years.

Jim Caldwell and Louise Hogan

IRELAND'S Graeme McDowell is the joint leader of the Heritage at Woburn along with 2002 Ryder Cup hero Phillip Price from Wales.

European golf fans have an instant chance to salute Ryder Cup heroes Colin Montgomerie, Padraig Harrington, David Howell and Ian Poulter this week.

PAUL McGINLEY has leapt from 92nd to 68th in the world rankings and to within touching distance of joining Pádraig Harrington and Darren Clarke in the European Ryder Cup team as reward for his share of sixth place in the USPGA.

NICK FALDO birdied his final hole at Lake Nona in Florida to book a place in next week's US Open.

Nick Faldo birdied his final hole at Lake Nona in Florida to book a place a place in next week’s US Open.

England’s Luke Donald and Swede Jesper Parnevik have failed in their bid to qualify for next week's United States Open at Shinnecock Hills.

PAUL McGINLEY has travelled to this week’s BMW Asian Open in China admitting he is playing a game of Ryder Cup catch-up.

Swede Joakim Haeggman captured his first European tour title for seven years at the Qatar Masters in Doha today.

PAUL MCGINLEY and Mark O’Meara fed off each other yesterday to make a nonsense of their alarming slide down the world rankings.

SUDDENLY, that light at the end of the tunnel isn’t an oncoming train for Paul McGinley.

Sam Torrance has quit the European Tour to try his luck on the seniors circuit according to a report.

Padraig Harrington is three shots off the pace after the opening round of the Williams World Challenge at the Sherwood Country Club course, Thousand Oaks.