COLIN Montgomerie may surprise us but it is difficult to believe he would include two people among his assistants at Celtic Manor next October who have never played in the Ryder Cup.

Irish golfer Rory McIlroy is back amongst the top 10 golfers in the world today following the publication of updated rankings.

THE MANY golfers who will surely be praying for divine intervention as the 109th US Open unfolds over the next two days might well take encouragement from how Bethpage got its name.

Darren Clarke has given up the chance to qualify for the Accenture world match play championship by pulling out of this week’s Malaysian Open.

Ian Poulter is to wait another two weeks before making his comeback from eye surgery.

Ryder Cup pair Lee Westwood and Paul Casey have both entered the Johnnie Walker Classic in Perth on February 19-22.

Padraig Harrington aims to kickstart his season with victory in the Ballantine’s Championship on Jeju Island after a frustrating beginning to the year.

Colin Montgomerie still has to climb four more places in the world rankings to qualify for the Masters at Augusta on April 10-13.

Tiger Woods started slowly but ultimately proved far too good for KJ Choi in their quarter-final at the Accenture World Match Play Championship today.

Colin Montgomerie is not alone in thinking that this week’s Accenture world match play championship in Arizona is something of a lottery.

Ernie Els has changed his mind and will try to improve his dreadful record at the Accenture world match play championship in Arizona next week.

The withdrawal of American Brett Wetterich has prevented a first round clash between Colin Montgomerie and Justin Rose at the Accenture World Match Play Championship in Arizona next week.

Open champion Padraig Harrington is in line for a first round clash with Swede Peter Hanson at the Accenture World Match Play Championship in Arizona next week.

Colin Montgomerie could be heading towards a first-round duel with Tiger Woods at next month’s Accenture world match play championship in Tucson.

Ernie Els, the match play king of Wentworth, has once again omitted next month's Accenture world match play championship in Arizona from his schedule.

England’s Justin Rose is among seven players who have earned late invitations to next week’s Masters.

Two weeks before they make their debuts in the Masters at Augusta, Bradley Dredge and Kenneth Ferrie have opted for some hill-walking training as well as golf practice this week.

IT’S becoming increasingly difficult to leave the word “choke” out of the sporting lexicon these days.

Lee Westwood and Padraig Harrington clash in the first round of the Accenture world match play championship in Tucson on Wednesday – as do their Ryder Cup team-mates Darren Clarke and Sergio Garcia.

South African Charl Schwartzel has pulled out of the 64-man field at the Accenture World Match Play Championship in Tucson, which starts on Wednesday.

A DAY that began with high hopes for himself and his large band of supporters ended in anti-climax and no small amount of disappointment for Padraig Harrington.

Two weeks ago there was no doubt in Ian Poulter’s mind. “I will be in Augusta,” he said.

Twelve months on from their terrific last round duel Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson looked on collision course again today when they returned to the Ford Championship at Doral in Florida.

Pádraig Harrington holed out from a bunker with his last shot of the day to begin the Ford Championship at Doral in Florida with a four-under-par 68.

THE countdown to next month’s Masters at Augusta starts in earnest today as the US Tour kicks off its ‘Florida Swing’ with nine of the world’s top 10 competing in the Ford Championship at Doral.

FOLLOWING decent performances in Malaysia and California, Padraig Harrington is very positive ahead of the Doral Open and next week’s defence of the Honda Classic.

Padraig Harrington has sentenced himself to hard labour to find the game which made him a double winner on the US PGA Tour last year.

Davis Love and Geoff Ogilvy shared the first seven holes of their Accenture world match play championship final at La Costa today.

Davis Love came up with a moment of magic today to put Padraig Harrington out of the Accenture world match play championship at the quarter-final stage for the second time in three years in California.

Pádraig Harrington toppled one of the biggest names in golf to reach the quarter-finals of the Accenture World Match Play Championship in California today.

Sole surviving Irishman, Pádraig Harrington, beat Argentina’s Angel Cabrera to reach the last 16 of the Accenture World Match Play Championship in California today.

FOUR birdies in five holes gave David Howell his second victory at the Accenture World Match Play Championship in California - and set him up for a clash with Phil Mickelson.

Four birdies in five holes gave David Howell his second victory at the Accenture World Match Play Championship in California – and set him up for a clash with Phil Mickelson.

David Toms took another impressive step towards retaining the Accenture World Match Play championship in California today.

David Toms, never down by more than one hole all week in winning the Accenture World Match Play championship last year, faced that situation when Jose Maria Olazabal made a superb start to their second-round clash today.

Those wondering what had happened to Bernhard Langer since he captained Europe to their record-breaking Ryder Cup win two years ago now know.

Pádraig Harrington was the only Irishman still standing at the Accenture World Match Play championship as Tiger Woods broke another record at La Costa near San Diego today.

PADRAIG HARRINGTON was the only Irishman still standing on a day when there was no keeping Tiger Woods out of the headlines when the Accenture World Match Play championship began at La Costa near San Diego.

Fred Couples is so excited about the Ryder Cup in Ireland in September that he is thinking of attending as a spectator.

A record 17 Europeans are in the 64-strong field for the Accenture World Match Play championship starting in San Diego tomorrow – and Colin Montgomerie believes they are all capable of emulating Darren Clarke.

Thomas Bjorn has withdrawn from this week’s Accenture World Match Play Championship in San Diego with a sore neck.

South Africa’s Rory Sabbatini went to the top of the US Tour money list in the best possible fashion.