Irish golf has never produced as many players willing to chase the ultimate dream of a place on the game’s major tours. Whether they can afford to follow their dreams is another matter altogether.

TWO and a half years ago Conor Ridge was managing a group of promising young Irish golfers and wondering if and when he was going to break into the space filled by the massive International Management Group (IMG) or the International Sports Management Group (ISM).

Stuart Manley, a schoolboy soccer starlet who had a trial with Manchester United, is about to find out how good a golfer he is.

Welshman Stuart Manley remained the man to catch at the Portugal Masters in Vilamoura today – as Colin Montgomerie missed yet another cut.