AS we sat a golf buggy in the late afternoon Mount Juliet sunshine, it was hard to believe a five million dollar golf tournament was taking place a 100 yards or so away.

“WE could not be happier.” The words last night of Eoin Cotter, director of Mount Juliet, as he oversaw the final touches being put to his magnificent Co Kilkenny complex in the build-up to the $5.5 million American Express World Golf Championship beginning here on Thursday.

BARRY REDDAN is set to become the oldest winner of the Shell-sponsored South of Ireland Championship.

HE'S 49-years-old, is heading rapidly towards life on the senior's tour, suffers from a sore back, still insists he's here simply to make the cut, yet Des Smyth is just one stroke off the lead after the first round of the 131st Open Championship.

Colin Montgomerie's lead at the top of the leaderboard has been cut to one stroke by Australian Adam Scott, who is in outright second place at 10 under par after today's third round.

Overnight leader Colin Montgomerie has picked up two further strokes in his opening five holes today, making birdies at the fourth and fifth to move to 12 under par.

Padraig Harrington is five under par after 11 holes, having made four birdies but he also dropped shots on the sixth and eighth holes.