For most, it’s a human mincing machine, a graveyard for dreams that leads to nothing more than the drowning of sorrows in golf’s ultimate Last Chance Saloon.

They might jet around the world to play in sun-kissed courses and earn wages of national debt levels but being a pro-golfer has its downsides too, as Euro Tour golfer Shane Lowry discovered last night.

After being laid-up in bed earlier this week with back spasms, Mark Murphy is now boldly targeting success in this week’s Hassan II Trophy in Agadir.

ENGLAND’S David Dixon blasted a five under par 67 to take a one-stroke lead into the final round of the European Tour Qualifying School finals in Spain.

NEGOTIATIONS about the future of the 2012 Irish Open are ongoing with a June 28 to July 1 date favourite to get the green light according to sources close to the European Tour.

Tiger Woods has apologised for his spitting at the Dubai Desert Classic, but actions will have to speak louder than words at next week's Accenture Match Play in Tucson.

GOLF in Ireland received a welcome boost last night with the news that the Irish Open remains on the 2011 European Tour schedule.

RORY McILROY has quit the US Tour in a move that can only further enhance the current glowing stature of the European Tour.

PÁDRAIG HARRINGTON says he will add a European tour event to his schedule after missing the cut at the Deutsche Bank Championship in Boston.

IN a disappointing tournament for Irish players, Marc Farry became the fifth first-time winner on the European Senior Tour in 2010 when he held off a spirited challenge from Ross Drummond to win the Handa Irish Senior Open presented by Fáilte Ireland.

TRIPLE major-winning Pádraig Harrington has labelled as “protectionism” any move by the European Tour to introduce a series of core tournaments its members will have to contest to retain automatic membership.

CONFIRMATION of Pádraig Harrington’s playing schedule in upcoming weeks has brought both delight but also disappointment to fans and tournament organisers on both sides of the Irish Sea.

THE European Tour yesterday revealed there had been no positive tests at the start of their new drug-testing programme.

Dubliner Peter Lawrie made it three Irish wins in a row on the European Tour today when he beat Ignacio Garrido at the second hole of a dramatic play-off for the Spanish Open in Seville.

Denmark’s Thomas Bjorn believes the European Tour has a strong future despite an increasing number of players spending more time in the United States.

The European Tour will return to Austria for the first time in a decade when the BA-CA Golf Open is staged at Fontana Golf Club near Vienna from June 8-11 next year.

Ernie Els has closed the gap at the top of the European Order of Merit after his win in the BMW Asion Open.

THEY say there is no greater pressure in golf than the end of season Tour Schools and Wexford club professional Damien McGrane came face to face with that reality at the Emporda course in northern Spain yesterday.

DUBLIN’S Peter Lawrie strengthened his prospects of winning a card on the regular European Tour for the first time when he fought gamely for a share of 10th in the Formby Hall Challenge on the Challenge Tour over the weekend.