The Northern Irish Open has evolved into a European first, writes Kevin Markham.

Ronnie O'Sullivan survived a scare to book his place in the second round of the Northern Ireland Open in Belfast.

First it was Rory McIlroy injured playing football and now fellow PGA Championship winner Pádraig Harrington fears injuring his knee playing tennis could see him miss next week’s championship at Whistling Straits.

Like the 46A bus to Dun Laoghaire, which would take an age to come and then arrive with another stuck to its exhaust pipe, there are signs that things are about to start moving apace in Irish golf.