US OPEN champion Rory McIlroy was last night named RTÉ Sports Person of the Year for 2011.

The American press have lauded Rory McIlroy following his emphatic US Open success at Congressional.

Paul Casey is certain this weekend to become the fifth European player to move ahead of Tiger Woods on the world rankings.

St Andrews, the Home of Golf, could tomorrow see Lee Westwood crowned as the new world number one - and little-known John Parry as the shock winner of one of Europe's richest events.

COREY PAVIN, the US Ryder Cup captain, today announces his four wild cards for Celtic Manor next month well satisfied with the form of most of those who have already qualified were performing in the Deutsche Bank Championship in Boston over the weekend.

Tiger Woods has been paired with in-form Englishman Lee Westwood for next week's US Open at Pebble Beach.

EUROPE’S Ryder Cup captain Colin Montgomerie must have been delighted as he watched the drama unfold in the final round of the Abu Dhabi Championship on Sunday.

WE’VE heard of food for thought. How about thoughtful food?

Lee Westwood has described Tiger Woods as “just somebody else you’ve got to beat.”

Nick Dougherty admits he will be “gutted” if he is not part of the Open Championship at Carnoustie next month – especially after his brilliant showing in America last week.

Ian Woosnam’s struggles with post-viral fatigue syndrome have now led to him pulling out of this coming week’s Wales Open at Celtic Manor.

The Spanish Open in Madrid headed into a marathon last day after another two hours were lost to a thunderstorm this evening.

Vijay Singh’s victory in the US Tour-opening Mercedes-Benz Championship in Hawaii has lifted the Fijian up two places to fifth in the world.

THE countdown to next month’s Masters at Augusta starts in earnest today as the US Tour kicks off its ‘Florida Swing’ with nine of the world’s top 10 competing in the Ford Championship at Doral.

Teenage sensation Michelle Wie made a pleasing debut in the Weetabix Women’s British Open but she has already set her sights on playing in the men’s event in the near future.

Ian Poulter, joint course record-holder at the Forest of Arden with Colin Montgomerie, failed to break par for the third day running today.

GREAT though the last two weeks have been for Graeme McDowell, the Irish golfer reckons it could be just the start of something even better.

Great though the last two weeks have been for Irish golf, Graeme McDowell reckons it could be just the start of something even better.

ERNIE ELS followed up his dramatic victory in the Dubai Desert Classic with another remarkable success in the Middle East yesterday.

Miguel Angel Jimenez stretched his lead to four shots at the Dubai Desert Classic today – helped by an unexpected blunder from world number three Ernie Els.

Ricky Barnes, who as US Amateur champion finished 21st in last year’s Masters at Augusta, was disqualified from the European Open at the K Club near Dublin today.

Nick Faldo was among those to take advantage as Justin Rose once again found life at the top difficult to handle at Wentworth today.

Adam Scott, who came down to earth with a bump after his fabulous victory in golf’s unofficial fifth Major in March, returned from a five-week break in Germany today.

With an 18-foot birdie putt and a leap into the air almost as high, Phil Mickelson rid himself of the tag as “best player never to win a major” today - and with it created golfing history.

Cool, calm and collected. That was the approach Justin Rose was trying to adopt heading into the biggest weekend of his golfing life.

Justin Rose is about to discover what he is made of on the grandest stage golf has to offer.

As the last person to win a major Shaun Micheel deserves to be heard. Especially as, come Sunday night, he thinks he could have won the last two.

Few golfers have blown more hot and cold than Darren Clarke this year. But if ever there was a time to get hot again this is it.

ATTENTION in golf is firmly fixed on the US Open this week — and Tiger Woods’ attempt to defend the one Major title he has left.

THEY say that proximity breeds disenchantment and if so, there will be some battle at the top of the leaderboard as the 131st Open Championship builds to a climax over the weekend.

It is not only Darren Clarke, Lee Westwood and Colin Montgomerie who are longing for that winning feeling to return.

Padraig Harrington is glad to see John Daly back in golf’s spotlight - even though he now has to reflect on his own sixth runners-up finish of the season and 15th of his career.