Five Irish golfers, Waterville’s David Higgins, Ulstermen Chris Devlin and Gareth Shaw, Dubliner Niall Kearney and Yorkshire-born Simon Thornton, will be among a group of 150 hopefuls seeking 25 places on the 2013 European Tour when the final Tour School takes place over six days at the Catalunya complex near Barcelona beginning next Saturday.

Only a short few years ago, the chances of any player leading the orders of merit on both the PGA and European Tours were slim in the extreme.

Whatever about the long-awaited return to Royal Portrush for the 2012 Irish Open, Carton House director of golf Francis Howley is already gearing up for the 2013 tournament.

THE European Tour and sponsors, the Andalucian Tourist Board, must have been furious the Andalucian Masters was bypassed by many marquee names in favour of the Shanghai Masters.

World number one Caroline Wozniacki had a comfortable start to her US Open campaign with a 6-3 6-1 victory over Spain’s Nuria Llagostera Vives on Arthur Ashe Stadium.

After achieving one dream – winning The Open, of course – Darren Clarke returns to action this week hoping for another.

ROSS FISHER did not turn up at Killarney 12 months ago to spoil the party.

THE companies that declined title sponsorship of the Irish Open must be kicking themselves given the hype and build up to next month’s tournament in Killarney.

An astonishing European Tour record-equalling round of 60 has put England’s Kenneth Ferrie just one behind Scotland’s Paul Lawrie with a day to go at the Andalucian Open in Malaga.

Former European Open champion Kenneth Ferrie put himself into contention for the Andalucian Open in Malaga with a brilliant third-round run today.

WELSHMAN Stephen Dodd shared the first-round lead with Spaniard Jose Manuel Lara after carding six-under 65’s at the Sicilian Open yesterday.

Nobody could complain about the quality of the leaderboard when the Omega Dubai Desert Classic began today - even before Tiger Woods, Lee Westwood and Martin Kaymer had teed off.

FÁILTE IRELAND’S commitment to the Irish Open, at least for 2011, means that the country’s flagship golf tournament will go ahead for the second successive year and for the fourth time in all at Killarney on July 28-31 next.

SUNDAY’S confirmation by the European Tour that the July 28-31 date has been reserved for the 2011 Irish Open and chief executive George O’Grady’s comment that Killarney is the preferred venue had been well flagged but there is still no guarantee the tournament will take place in 2011.

AS chief executive officer of the PGA European Tour, George O’Grady, enjoys a lifestyle that most of us can only dream of.

THE FUTURE of the Irish Open Championship hangs in the balance after telecommunications company 3 yesterday dropped their sponsorship of the tournament.

ROSS FISHER, a 29-year-old from the horseracing haven of Ascot, proved at Killarney yesterday that nice guys do come first.

IRELAND’S hopes of keeping the 3 Irish Open title at home for the third time in four years remain extremely bright at the halfway stage of the €3 million tournament at Killarney.

England’s Ross Fisher burst into the lead at the 3 Irish Open with a dazzling six successive birdies in Killarney today.

ACCORDING to legendary golfer Christy O’Connor Junior, the Irish Open “is more like a festival than a golf tournament”.

TEN years after deciding that a base near London and Heathrow Airport was best suited to his particular needs, Darren Clarke is on the cusp of returning home.

Only four members of the world’s top 100 are playing at the European Tour’s event in Majorca this week – and three of them face each other in the opening two rounds.

US MASTERS runner-up Lee Westwood is to play at the 3 Irish Open in Killarney (July 29 to August 1).

The European Tour has announced that 2009 European Tour number one, Lee Westwood, will play at this year’s 3 Irish Open when the tournament returns to Killarney Golf and Fishing Club from July 29 to August 1.

COLIN MONTGOMERIE has not always seen eye-to-eye with Ian Poulter – and vice-versa – but Europe’s Ryder Cup captain was “delighted” with the happenings in Arizona at the weekend.

NEXT season’s European Tour – starting in South Africa on Thursday – will feature a minimum of 47 tournaments, including six new ones, and will once again culminate in the Dubai World Championship.

Next season’s European Tour – starting in South Africa on Thursday – will feature a minimum of 47 tournaments, including six new ones, and will once again culminate in the Dubai World Championship.

The Race to Dubai title will not be decided this week but the UBS Hong Kong Open does represent a chance for leading contenders Lee Westwood and Rory McIlroy to put one hand on the Harry Vardon Trophy.

World number one Tiger Woods claimed a share of a one-stroke halfway lead at the World Golf Championships-HSBC Champions after carding a second consecutive five-under-par 67 in Shanghai today.

England's Ross Fisher completed a memorable marathon effort by beating American Ryder Cup player Anthony Kim to become Volvo World Match Play champion in Spain today.

IRELAND’S Paul McGinley and Scotland’s Gary Orr took advantage of calm early conditions to share the first round lead at the KLM Open in the Netherlands yesterday.

LAST SEASON’S European number one Robert Karlsson could end up missing three of this year’s four majors because of continuing eye problems.

India’s Jeev Milkha Singh today told of his disappointment at having to pull out of this week’s Open with a rib injury.

Last year’s European No 1 Robert Karlsson will miss next week’s Open Championship because of his left eye problem.

Trevor Immelman and Robert Karlsson, last year’s Masters champion and last year’s European number one, have both withdrawn from this coming week’s Barclays Scottish Open at Loch Lomond.

IT WAS triple Major-winning Padraig Harrington who made the effort to break from his practice and congratulate Shane Lowry on last month’s 3 Irish Open success yesterday.

England’s Nick Dougherty, who this time last year had little desire to play golf, finally returned to winning ways in Munich today – and with it earned a place in next month’s Open.

Northern Ireland’s Michael Hoey found himself paired with former European Open champions Colin Montgomerie and Kenneth Ferrie in the third round of the BMW International Open in Munich today – and he was the one to make the early move.

Nick Dougherty put his “shocking” finish to the Wales Open behind him and moved into contention for the BMW International Open in Munich today.

Graeme McDowell made good use of his sponsors’ invitation at the St Jude Classic last night to claim a place on the leaderboard heading into today’s second round in Memphis.

Thomas Bjorn and Thomas Levet, both runners-up in The Open in the last seven years, are among 96 players at Sunningdale tomorrow competing for 10 places at Turnberry next month.

EUROPEAN TOUR rookie Richie Ramsay takes a one-shot lead into the third round of the Celtic Manor Wales Open — and hopes his experience of playing with some of the biggest names in golf will now pay dividends.

European Tour rookie Richie Ramsay takes a one-shot lead into the third round of the Celtic Manor Wales Open – and hopes his experience of playing with some of the biggest names in golf will now pay dividends.

Colin Montgomerie might have been disappointed about the shortage of star names at Celtic Manor this week, but he was taking the chance to shine himself.