The chance to play golf at the renowned El Prat while staying at the spectacular La Florida hotel in Barcelona is hard to beat, writes Ronan Bagnall.

Organisers of this summer’s Dubai Duty Free Irish Open at Lahinch have insisted the prestige $7m European Tour event will not be defined by the absence of Rory McIlroy from the field.

For something widely described as the worst-kept secret in golf, Pádraig Harrington’s eventual unveiling as Europe’s next Ryder Cup captain surprised us in just how pleasant and important a reminder it was of what a special golf nation this is, and what a special sportsperson Harrington is.

Anyone who has followed the illustrious playing career of Pádraig Harrington and listened to his intense desire to get things right these past 15 years, or so, will have no doubt he is the right man to lead Europe into the next Ryder Cup at Whistling Straits in Wisconsin 20 months from now.

It’s the worst secret in golf and even Pádraig Harrington, one of the most affable men in golf, is tiring of being asked if he’s going to be the next captain of the European Ryder Cup team.

Pádraig Harrington accepted a European Ryder Cup vice-captaincy for a third time and thanked his friend and skipper Thomas Bjorn for keeping him involved in the biennial duel with the United States 19 years after his playing debut.

During the Christmas break of the PGA Tour’s wraparound season, Graeme McDowell toiled for seven hours at Lake Nona Golf & Country Club, his home track in Orlando, working on his game. 

Paul Dunne rounded off a stellar breakthrough year on tour last night when he was named “Professional of the Year” by the Irish Golf Writers’ Association.

Shane Lowry is first of the Irish into action this morning at the Turkish Airlines Open

The first thing you notice about the 2017 Open champion is that not much is really noticeable. Jordan Spieth is tall, but not too tall. And he’s a fresh-faced, good-looking lad. But Hollywood probably wouldn’t give him a second glance.

Love was clearly in the air at Ashford Castle in Mayo last weekend as Rory McIlroy wed his American fiancée Erica Stoll.

Good but not good enough. 

For golf fans the time has arrived. Cancel all engagements, lock the doors and draw the blinds, it's Ryder Cup time.

Darren Clarke will take a step back from his hectic schedule as European Ryder Cup captain next week with a diary free of official business. Yet while on the face of it there will be some calm before the dramatic storm of the resumption of golfing rivalries with the US at the end of the month in Minnesota, it is doubtful the Irishman will be sleeping any easier.

Rory McIlroy will be judged by his major wins but some victories are more significant than others and Monday’s comeback triumph in the Deutsche Bank Championship in Boston may well go down as a watershed in the Co Down man’s career.

Gavin Moynihan was inches away from leaving the K Club in a €145,000 BMW but while he narrowly missed out on the required ace, the Irish rookie was happy just to have made his first Irish Open cut.

Former Open champion Louis Oosthuizen wants to make a trademark flying start to the year in the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters, but is already focusing on claiming a second major title in 2016.

Golfers on the European Tour have a new item of clothing to pack in their suitcase. The tour confirmed it will allow players to wear shorts during practice rounds and pro-ams, after the policy was passed unanimously by a tournament committee in Abu Dhabi.

Darren Clarke has fired a first pre-Hazeltine salvo insisting he would not insult any European Ryder Cup aspiring player by inviting them to become a vice-captain until after next April’s Masters.

Darren Clarke might be a fearsome-looking figure on tour but the European Ryder Cup captain is a wise old owl in terms of developing new players.

Former winner Darren Clarke admits he never thought it would be possible to contest the Open Championship on home soil.

Gavin Moynihan steps onto the first tee in Monza later today as the European Tour’s newest professional with Ryder Cup captains past and present praising the 20-year-old.

Tiger Woods has warned Rory McIlroy to be prepared for a tough week as he returns to action following an ankle injury to defend his PGA Championship title at Whistling Straits.

Graeme McDowell went to sleep last night facing a 40-foot last hole birdie putt early this morning in the storm-interrupted French Open in Versailles.

European Ryder Cup captain Darren Clarke looks set to add another first to his illustrious playing career by travelling to Russia later this year.

Soren Kjeldsen overcame a nervy sudden-death play-off and some insecurity about his future on the European Tour to win the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open. 

Being Ryder Cup captain means showing faith in your big gun and both 2014 skipper Paul McGinley and 2016 European boss Darren Clarke had sympathy for a struggling Rory McIlroy.

European Ryder Cup heroes Victor Dubuisson, Jamie Donaldson and Miguel Angel Jimenez have become the latest stars to confirm their plans to play Royal Co Down in two weeks as the entry deadline closed for this year’s Dubai Duty Free Irish Open.

For the rookies in the Masters’ field, like our own Shane Lowry, these past few days have been all about the realisation of one of their golfing dreams.

Rory McIlroy will get his bid for a career grand slam under way in the company of Phil Mickelson and Ryan Moore as the draw for opening two rounds of the year’s first major was announced.

Waterford’s Kevin Phelan carried on from where he left off last week by carding an opening 67 to claim a share of the lead in the Africa Open at East London Golf Club in South Africa.

Darren Clarke will lead Europe’s bid for a fourth successive Ryder Cup victory after being named captain today for the 2016 contest with the US at Hazeltine.

Great communication skills and the respect of players made Darren Clarke the only choice for Hazeltine.

Former Open champion Darren Clarke remains a strong favourite to be named European Ryder Cup captain for 2016 on Wednesday.

Byeong-hun An shot a seven-under-par 65 on day three of the HSBC Abu Dhabi Golf Championship to move into contention.