His wayward first ball hit a fan and cracked the screen of her mobile phone in her pocket before ending up five feet inside the out of bounds posts.

Nobody could be happier than Pádraig Harrington that Royal Portrush is staging the 148th Open Championship this week but the two-time Claret Jug winner wishes his favourite golf course was not in quite such good nick.

It was business as usual down on Portrush’s beautiful East Strand as the lifeguard looked out from her perch to the handful of dog walkers and paddlers on the beach.

Pádraig Harrington may not be allowed to gamble on golf but the two-time Open champion makes a compelling case for lifting the Claret Jug a third time this Sunday.

All around him on a windy summer day on the links of Carnoustie, the leaders were imploding as Tiger Woods moved into the lead at the turn.

Defending champion Jordan Spieth admitted he was more than a little taken aback by his reaction as he returned the Claret Jug to the R&A at Carnoustie yesterday.

Three weeks after drinking out of the Claret Jug to celebrate close friend Jordan Spieth's Open victory, Justin Thomas had a major trophy of his own after his victory in the US PGA Championship.

Rory McIlroy admits a fifth major title is long overdue as he seeks a third US PGA victory with the added incentive of preventing Jordan Spieth from beating him to a career grand slam.

There was an Irish weather wipeout at Royal Birkdale last night as Shane Lowry and former Open champions Darren Clarke and Pádraig Harrington all crashed out in the torrential rain.

There is never very much glory to be enjoyed at the outset of a major championship but after his first competitive round at Royal Birkdale since he lifted the Claret Jug in 2008, Pádraig Harrington had hoped for a better outcome than his opening 73.

The hunger and ambition burns as strongly as ever for Rory McIlroy even if his prospects do not seem as bright as they did three years ago when he dominated the golfing universe.

Open champion Henrik Stenson admits it was a bittersweet moment when he returned the Claret Jug yesterday, but is eagerly looking forward to the next chapter in his career.

What a way to grab you and your country’s maiden major championship victory.

There was a time when it was understandable to wonder just why Phil Mickelson carried a passport. Oh, that’s right, he needed it for those Ryder Cup visits to Europe every four years.

In a sport with many big egos, tunnel visions and platitudes, it will be wonderful today to witness two of the “good guys” in the game, Phil Mickelson and Henrik Stenson, going head to head at the Open Championship.

Shane Lowry is convinced he can challenge for the Open title after overcoming his US Open heartache.

Brian Keogh takes a closer look at the world of caddies, the few who’ve made millions and the vast majority who live the jet-set lifestyle without the money, or the jet. 

Open Championship hero Paul Dunne will attract much of the attention at Royal Portrush in two weeks as Ireland bid to defend their Home Internationals title on home soil.

Pádraig Harrington reacquainted himself with the high-pressure stakes of the business end of a major championship and felt right at home at St Andrews.

Graeme McDowell believes Paul Dunne should give the Walker Cup a miss and take the leap into the professional ranks as soon as possible.

Having arrived in plenty of time to tee off at the appointed time of 7am on Saturday, David Duval had not struck a ball until 6pm. 

If Arnold Palmer romanticised the American pilgrimage to the Open Championship and Jack Nicklaus cemented its competitive importance, Tom Watson humanised it.

Rory McIlroy believes his status as reigning Open champion can pay dividends for him as he bids for a second US Open title on the links of Chambers Bay on Thursday.

As always, May is sporting finals month. There’s a couple of bigguns this weekend so stock up on the pizzas and settle in.

The Dubai Duty Free Irish Open may have migrated north for this year’s prestigious European Tour event but while the tournament heads to Royal County Down next month, schoolchildren up and down the country have a chance to bring the winners’ trophy and the Open’s famed Claret Jug to their classroom.

These were just some of the sporting memories we will take with us from 2014 - what do you think? What would you add to our list?

Rory McIlroy is ready to step up and take a Ryder Cup leadership role for Europe at Gleneagles this September that befits his elevated status in the game.

Rory McIlroy’s physical transformation — not to mention an even more important mental change — has been remarkable over the past four years and he was back at it yesterday when he made one of his regular trips to GlaxoSmithKlein’s Human Performance Laboratory in London.

There has been a lot written about Rory McIlroy in the days since he won the Open Championship.

Rory McIlroy celebrated his Open triumph by drinking red wine out of the Claret Jug, but was also quick to target more major success following his hard-fought win at Royal Liverpool.

Rory McIlroy held off a spirited challenge from Ryder Cup team-mate Sergio Garcia to claim his third major title on a thrilling final day of the Open Championship at Royal Liverpool today.

History was being made this morning with the Open Championship having its first two-tee start and Rory McIlroy looking to cement his bid to secure the third leg of a career grand slam.

Low scoring dominated the first day of the 143rd Open Championship at Royal Liverpool – with Rory McIlroy and a rusty Tiger Woods getting in on the act.

Rory McIlroy feels as prepared as he ever has going into an Open Championship but it will be how he readies himself mentally for Friday’s second round that will determine whether he lifts the Claret Jug at Royal Liverpool on Sunday.

Justin Rose believes he is now at the optimum stage of his career when he can cash in at the Majors.

Much like Phil Mickelson’s relationship with the Majors, his first Open Championship success last year came after years of failure.

Rory McIlroy and Graeme McDowell last night hailed the R&A’s expected decision to stage The Open Championship at Royal Portrush, probably in 2019.

Phil Mickelson may have his heart set on the US Open title that will bring a career Grand Slam but he insists he is more than ready to land a sixth major victory anywhere, including at this week’s PGA Championship.

Former champion Paul Lawrie today shrugged off a 300-mile round trip to card a third round of 70 in the Open Championship at Muirfield.

Overcast conditions today greeted the early starters as the third round of the Open Championship got under way at Muirfield.

Already the oldest winner in European Tour history, Spain’s Miguel Angel Jimenez now has the chance to become the oldest major champion as well in the 142nd Open Championship.

The Open Championship may lack a prominent Irish contender, but there are a host of significant others at the top of the leaderboard heading into a testing second day at sun-baked Muirfield to suggest class will out yet again at this venerable links.