They never really retire, golfers.

AS IF he didn’t deliver enough of a shock to the old suits with his Loudmouth blazer at Tuesday night’s Champions Dinner, John Daly added another in yesterday’s opening round.

JOHN DALY may still be known in many quarters as “The Wild Thing” but apart from the amazing clothing ensembles he sports on the golf course, he has toned things down in many other respects.

Paul Azinger completed the American Ryder Cup team today by handing wild cards to Steve Stricker, Hunter Mahan, JB Holmes and Chad Campbell.

Padraig Harrington defied wind, rain and his injured wrist to make a highly creditable start to the defence of his Open title at Royal Birkdale today.

Thomas Levet is heading to The Masters next week - to commentate, not to play - and it could be with a second successive European Tour victory to his name.

PRESIDENT Mary McAleese was the first VIP visitor to view JP McManus’s new mansion when she called for lunch during a visit to Co Limerick on Tuesday.

He may once have been banned from the European Tour, but Sweden’s Per-Ulrik Johansson is now more than happy to be back in the fold.

Stephen Dodd and Bradley Dredge played the first nine holes in a better-ball 30 to put Wales only one behind surprise early leaders Paraguay when golf’s World Cup began at Vilamoura on Portugal’s sunny Algarve today.

Even from a distance Paul Casey could see Colin Montgomerie “smiling and strutting” at St Andrews today. And with every reason.

Walking off the fifth green at St Andrews today Retief Goosen told Irish caddie Colin Byrne he thought he had just blown his Open championship hopes.

Sergio Garcia admits it would be “a dream come true” to break his major duck in the Open championship at St Andrews.

What can I add? They raised phenomenal funds which go to the local Limerick charities and that’s good because much of the money was raised by the people of the city and county and it’s great that it goes back there.

Colin Montgomerie is thinking of sending for a belly putter in his countdown to the British Open championship at St Andrews.

THE year was 1997 and Ernie Els was bidding to capture the US Open at Congressional near Washington.

A first win on the European Tour – any tour, in fact – is a notable feat in any golfer’s career - but the one by South African Richard Sterne in the Madrid Open yesterday deserves special mention.

Hal Sutton has decided to go where five American captains have never dared to tread – by pairing Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson together.

Germany’s Alex Cejka, needing something dramatic to boost his Ryder Cup wild card hopes, produced it for a time in Munich this morning.

John Daly has spoken out about his exclusion from America’s Ryder Cup team, saying the public and press campaign to get him a debut next month probably cost him one.

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.

ENGLAND'S David Dixon gladly swapped the stifling heat of Singapore for the wind and rain of the Madeira Island Open yesterday.

BERNHARD LANGER has named Swedes Anders Forsbrand and Joakim Haeggman as his two assistants for September's Ryder Cup in Detroit.

Bernhard Langer has named Swedes Anders Forsbrand and Joakim Haeggman as his two assistants for this September’s Ryder Cup in Detroit.

THE DUNHILL Links Championship, which came to a triumphant end on Sunday for the born again Lee Westwood, is set to continue in its present format for at least another 12 months.

LIAN-Wei Zhang became the first Chinese winner on the European Tour

MILLIONS of miles away. Paul McGinley makes a playful grab for his four year old son, Killian, ‘Killy’ around the house.

Scotland’s Paul Lawrie achieved his first victory since the 1999 Open championship at St Andrews today, winning the Dunhill Links championship with a dramatic 40-foot putt on the final green.

Mark Roe’s worst fears were still in danger of being realised when he resumed the Lancome Trophy in Paris with a one-stroke lead today.

Sergio Garcia said thanks to Tiger Woods today - and then spoke of how he hopes to show at the US Open this week that he really is getting closer to him.