CARNOUSTIE, widely regarded as one of the most difficult golf courses on the planet, didn’t really show its teeth on yesterday’s opening day of the €4m Dunhill Links Championship.

New Zealand golfer Michael Campbell flew to America today £1m (€1.47m) richer - thanks in part to a heart-to-heart talk with his wife Julie earlier this year.

Luke Donald and Sergio Garcia, a partnership America can expect to face again next September, have the chance this week to set the pace when Europe’s Ryder Cup qualifying starts.

PAUL McGINLEY and David Howell are both in line now for a shot at £1 million (€1.47m) - the richest prize in golf - at the HSBC world match play championship at Wentworth next month.

PAUL McGINLEY’S splendid performance in finishing third in the NEC World Championship in Ohio has given a huge boost to the 38-year-old Dubliner.

Paul McGinley's fine weekend performance has put him in line for a shot at £1m (€1.47m) - the richest prize in golf – at the HSBC world match play championship at Wentworth next month.

Tiger Woods got himself out of two tricky spots this morning to be tied for the lead with fellow American Kenny Perry entering the final round of the NEC world championship in Akron.

Paul McGinley will begin the final day of the NEC World Championship in Akron just one shot off the lead – and with 20 holes still to play.

Lee Westwood put the disappointment of the final major of the season behind him with a superb 63 – his lowest ever round in America – in the third round of the NEC world championship in Akron today.

Lee Westwood and Padraig Harrington produced early fireworks in round three of the £4m (€5.9m) NEC World Championship in Akron.

An early alarm call did not have any detrimental effect on Ryder Cup team-mates Padraig Harrington, Darren Clarke and Lee Westwood when they resumed the NEC world championship in Akron today.

Ireland's Paul McGinley moved into position to challenge for the NEC World Championship in Akron this weekend as Tiger Woods, who had been leading by two, finished with a double-bogey six.

Paul McGinley and Luke Donald today moved into position to challenge for the €5.9m NEC World Championship in Akron this weekend.

David Howell and Stephen Dodd, involved in a play-off for the Irish Open three months ago, went in completely opposite directions in the second round of the €5.9m NEC world championship in Akron today.

David Howell started to make up for lost time today when he moved onto the leaderboard at the NEC World Championship in Akron.

Davis Love had Tiger Woods in hot pursuit after making a brilliant start to the NEC world championship in Akron today.

Tiger Woods, who could not quite make up a 15-shot deficit in the US PGA championship last week, was quickly on the leaderboard at the NEC world championship in Akron today.

Mark Garrod, Akron

Darren Clarke has asked world number two Vijay Singh for help as he tries to rediscover form.

Those wondering where Tiger Woods was on Monday morning as the golf world waited to see if he would be in a play-off for the USPGA now know the answer - he was 1,000 miles away.

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

Europe’s wait for a winner of a major golf title will now go into a seventh year – but Thomas Bjorn is more convinced than ever that he can be the man to end the barren spell.

Padraig Harrington

David Howell has delayed his golf comeback yet again and is now doubtful for next week’s United States PGA championship as well.

THEIR eyes met as the Irishman walked towards the registration cabin and the American chatted with his caddy in the Mount Juliet courtyard.

Paul Casey has fired his caddie at the start of Ryder Cup week – and admitted today it was a decision he probably should have taken earlier.

Bernhard Langer has selected Colin Montgomerie and Luke Donald as his Ryder Cup wild card picks for next month’s clash against the USA at Oakland Hills, Michigan.

PÁDRAIG Harrington last night dismissed concerns over the state of his game so close to the Ryder Cup.

Germany’s Alex Cejka, needing something dramatic to boost his Ryder Cup wild card hopes, produced it for a time in Munich this morning.

US Open champion Retief Goosen cruised to a six under par 66 to take the lead after day one of the BMW International, but it was John Daly who demanded attention with his comments about US Ryder Cup team captain Hal Sutton.

The message should have reached Bernhard Langer in America loud and clear - Paul McGinley, Colin Montgomerie, Luke Donald are all looking good.

England’s Luke Donald took another step towards a Ryder Cup debut next month when he went to the turn in a three-under-par 33 to share the early lead in the BMW International Open in Munich today.

One player forever to be remembered for one putt , one with royal connections and one best known for his clothes and hair are three of the central characters this week in the final act of a 12-month Ryder Cup drama.

THE battle for the last three places on the European Ryder Cup team will be decided in Munich this week.

Paul McGinley is looking forward to a rest next week. He has not had one since the middle of June and for a professional golfer that is an eternity.

Lee Westwood, certain of his place at Oakland Hills next month, still feels Colin Montgomerie is worthy of a Ryder Cup wild card, even though he has finished only 70th and 58th in his last two tournaments.

Barring a miracle tomorrow Colin Montgomerie will now need a wild card to be part of Europe’s bid to retain the Ryder Cup next month.

Colin Montgomerie openly admits he is losing sleep. But there are more serious things than the Ryder Cup on his mind.

SOME of the best golfers in the world were seen at nothing like their best in Akron yesterday as the NEC World Championship tried and failed to make up for lost time.

Tiger Woods reacted angrily today to ruining what could have been a brilliant start to the NEC world championship in Akron.

After fearing a freak incident might scupper his Ryder Cup hopes, Scottish Open champion Thomas Levet is back on track for a debut next month.

Only a limited amount of play was possible on the opening day of the NEC world championship in Akron. But it was nonetheless eventful, with the performance of Tiger Woods the highlight.