Rory McIlroy admits that he simply “couldn’t cope with any more” when he suffered that mentalmeltdown at the Honda Classic last year and fled the course midway through his second round.

Jack Nicklaus is backing Rory McIlroy to bounce back in time for the Masters but insisted the world number one must “move on” and forget about his problems with his Nike clubs.

Graeme McDowell backed his friend Rory McIlroy to emerge from his “mini-crisis” after the world number one withdrew from the Honda Classic.

Excuses abounded to try and explain away the failure of the Irish golfers in the Accenture World Match Play Championship but none were convincing.

Matt Kuchar and Ian Poulter are both back in the world’s top 10 today, but it is the American who is really celebrating.

England’s Ian Poulter eased into the last eight of the Accenture Match Play Championship in Tucson after a commanding 5&3 victory over Tim Clark in the last 16 today.

Shane Lowry can forget about his world ranking for a while after realising his ambition to qualify for the WGC-Accenture Match play Championship later this month but the Irish golfer knows he has work to do if he is to achieve his longer-term objectives.

THE new “Nike Chums” Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods remain the top two players in the world golf rankings in spite of missing the cut in last week’s Abu Dhabi Championship.

Shane Lowry intends drawing on management stablemate Rory McIlroy’s enormous popularity to compete more in the States should he break into the world’s top 50.

Tom Lewis beat Australian John Senden on his Volvo World Match Play debut in Spain today - and as a result put himself and defending champion Ian Poulter into the last 16.

England’s Paul Casey is out of next week’s Accenture Match Play Championship in Arizona, but hopes to have recovered from his dislocated shoulder in time for the WGC-Cadillac Championship in Miami on March 8-11.

It was like St Andrews all over again in The Masters today as 21-year-old Rory McIlroy displayed his talents for all the world to see.

Luke Donald's dream start to the new season continued today when he charged back into contention for a second world title in three weeks.

Only 30 minutes’ play was possible before a fierce thunderstorm hit the WGC-Cadillac Championship in Miami today.

Padraig Harrington had to settle for a level par 71 after running up a triple bogey eight on the long 17th in today's first round at the BMW PGA Championship in Wentworth.

Seventh after one round, third at halfway. Tiger Woods is on the prowl again and now few will be surprised if he wins his first tournament in nearly five months.

Ian Poulter had the thrill of leading The Masters at Augusta today, but if that was the ecstasy, the agony certainly belonged to Sandy Lyle.

Ian Poulter has not yet thought about what he will say when he next sees Tiger Woods, but he would love it to be: “I’m number two now.”

World number seven Rory McIlroy will visit a Belfast-based specialist today to discover the extent of a back problem ahead of a maiden season on the US PGA Tour.

TOURNAMENT officials at the WGC-Accenture Match Play have been unable to confirm speculation that Tiger Woods is set to return to golf at the Arizona event in 12 days’ time.

Ian Poulter has displaced Padraig Harrington from third in the European Ryder Cup standings after his runners-up finish at the Abu Dhabi Championship.

After taking more than a month off – and being criticised by Ryder Cup captain Colin Montgomerie for not playing for Britain and Ireland – Ian Poulter is set to return to action the week after next.

Denmark’s Soren Kjeldsen produced a dazzling run of seven successive birdies to turn a five-stroke deficit into a four-shot lead at the Andalucian Open in Seville today.

Swede Peter Hanson managed only a third round 74 at the Andalucian Open in Seville today and knew instantly what it meant – no Masters debut again.

Rory McIlroy is looking to continue making an impact in the United States this week when he tees off on familiar ground at the WGC-CA Championship in Florida.

Denmark’s Anders Hansen has leapt into the field for next week’s Accenture World Match Play in Arizona after achieving his second victory of the season in South Africa.

The World Match Play Championship, not being staged this year for the first time since it began in 1964, will start a new era next season with a move from Wentworth to Spain and a new round-robin format.

Paul McGinley’s bid to retain his Ryder Cup place and to show he was right to resign as an assistant captain was given a massive boost at Wentworth today.

Colin Montgomerie crashed out of the Accenture Match Play Championship tonight.

Tiger Woods held a three-shot lead as he went for his 13th career major championship victory – but that advantage is even larger when you consider the mindset of those chasing him in the US PGA Championship.

Colin Montgomerie is confident he can make a return to the world’s top 10 as the winner of eight European Tour Order of Merits looks to add the Johnnie Walker Classic to his burgeoning collection at the Blue Canyon Country Club this week.

The quarter-final matches in the Accenture Match Play Championship have been delayed for nearly an hour because of frost.

Colin Montgomerie twice fell behind to Ryder Cup team-mate Paul Casey at the start of the HSBC World Match Play championship semi-finals at Wentworth today.

David Howell has dismissed fears he might not be able to play a full part in next week’s Ryder Cup despite another injury setback.

Just three days after completing a round of 85 that destroyed his hopes of winning the Irish Open, Ian Poulter bounced right back at Wentworth today.

Australian Geoff Ogilvy, seeded only 52nd of the 64 players who began the week, became yet another shock winner of the Accenture Match Play Championship at La Costa.

Pádraig Harrington was the only Irishman still standing at the Accenture World Match Play championship as Tiger Woods broke another record at La Costa near San Diego today.

PAUL McGINLEY’S victory in the Volvo Masters at Valderrama and a 10th place finish for Padraig Harrington made it a memorable tournament for the Irish.

It might be the first leg of Colin Montgomerie’s Order of Merit showdown with Michael Campbell today, but Ian Poulter has other things on his mind – like getting his own career moving in the right direction again.

PLANS to stage the HSBC World Match Play championship at Wentworth a week before next year's Ryder Cup would be the wrong choice, claimed Thomas Bjorn.

The top four players in the world could all be missing when the HSBC World Match Play Championship takes place at Wentworth next month.

Kenneth Ferrie’s victory in the European Open has edged joint runner-up Colin Montgomerie out of a place in the HSBC World Match Play championship at Wentworth in September.

Alastair Forsyth had hoped he might never have to come back to San Roque on Spain’s Costa del Sol.

PAUL McGINLEY will look to make some amends for failing to qualify for the Masters at one of the oldest events on the European tour this week.