Rory McIlroy insists he’s prefer to be streaky as a putter and a player than a pedestrian plodder.

Bubba Watson secured his first PGA Tour win of 2016 with a one-shot victory at the Northern Trust Open in California.

The road to the Masters starts on the other side of the country for Rory McIlroy.

World number one Jordan Spieth will look to make amends for one of the few mistakes he made in 2015 by winning the Northern Trust Open this week.

Pádraig Harrington is no longer searching for ‘the secret’ in the autumn of a glorious career, but he remains just a little bitter nobody told him where his ball was at St Andrews this year, writes Brian Keogh.

Tiger Woods has dropped out of the world’s top 100 golfers for the first time since 1996.

Hopefully Harrington can relax enough to enjoy his return to the Masters at Augusta next month and get back to his best.

Graeme McDowell has followed Ernie Els to become the second US Open winner in confirm his appearance in what is shaping up as one of the most high profile Irish Opens.

While Tiger Woods wrestles with back issues and sharply declining form and Vijay Singh has battled assorted health problems in recent years, veteran Jim Furyk is playing some of the best golf of his career.

By Simon Lewis

Bubba Golf returned to Augusta National last night as 2012 Masters winner Watson, unburdened by the pressures of being defending champion, jumped out into a clear lead at the halfway stage as Rory McIlroy struggled to stay in touch.

Free from the pressure of being defending champion, Bubba Watson stressed his desire to claim a second Masters title in three years on Friday as Thomas Bjorn and Jonas Blixt raised hopes of a first European win since 1999.

If Pádraig Harrington needed any inspiration to end a more than five-year winless drought he could again find it at the ‘Snake Pit’ in this week’s Valspar Championship at Tampa Bay.

Pádraig Harrington must beat seven of the world’s top 10 if he is to win the Honda Classic and make sure he doesn’t miss the Masters for the first time since his debut in 2000.

Bubba Watson shot a second successive 64 to win the Northern Trust Open in California on Sunday, his first title since lifting the 2012 Masters.

One of Augusta National’s most iconic features will be missing from this year’s Masters following the enforced removal of the course’s famous Eisenhower Tree.

US Open champion Justin Rose has Georgia on his mind as he makes his comeback from a two-month injury lay-off in this week’s Northern Trust Open.

Ryder Cup star Graeme McDowell returns to the scene of his greatest personal triumph for the first time this week insisting his major victory at Pebble Beach will not define his career.

As European golf chiefs battle to retain sponsors and a healthy schedule their compatriots across the Atlantic are basking in the game’s high profile stateside.

Emigration is a topic so often tinged with sadness and regret but from sunny San Diego, California, comes news of an Irishman turning adversity into the hope of fulfilling a lifelong dream.

Lady Luck might have turned her back on the Irish in Tucson but Shane Lowry and Graeme McDowell will be putting friendship aside in tomorrow’s first round of the WGC-Accenture Match Play.

Rory McIlroy lasted only two rounds in his first tournament of the year, but his return to action this week could be even shorter.

Shane Lowry will face Rory McIlroy in the first round of the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship in Arizona on Wednesday.

Local boy John Merrick sealed his first PGA Tour win as he edged out Charlie Beljan in a play-off for the Northern Trust Open in Pacific Palisades, Los Angeles.

Defending Northern Trust Open champion Bill Haas stormed to the head of the leaderboard going into the final round with a seven-under-par 64 in California.

World number three Luke Donald put himself firmly in contention as Bae Sang-moon and Fredrik Jacobson shared the lead at the halfway stage of the Northern Trust Open in California.

Luke Donald is set to start his Accenture Match Play title defence against former world number one Ernie Els in Tucson on Wednesday.

Bill Haas landed a 45-foot birdie putt to win a three-man play-off for the Northern Trust Open in California.

Keegan Bradley has snatched a share of Phil Mickelson‘s lead of the Northern Trust Open, setting up an enthralling final day in California.

Phil Mickelson remains on track to record back-to-back titles after maintaining his lead at the Northern Trust Open in California.

JP McManus had a shot on his 14 handicap playing the famous 18th hole at Pebble Beach on Sunday.

PÁDRAIG HARRINGTON insists he will have to get back to his match play roots if he is avoid a first-round sucker-punch at the hands of Australian heavyweight Geoff Ogilvy in the $8.5m (€6.2m) WGC –Accenture Match Play in Tucson.

PHIL MICKELSON’S failure to shine in the Northern Trust Open has seen Graeme McDowell take his spot as the fourth best player on the planet.

THE Irish trio at this week’s Accenture World Match Play in Tucson enter the event with contrasting form.

Australian Aaron Baddeley is up from 224th to 73rd in the world after winning the Northern Trust Open at Riviera in California.

Ernie Els is expected to be back in action at the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship in Tucson on Wednesday after a sore neck kept him out of last week’s Northern Trust Open in Los Angeles.

Aaron Baddeley shot a final-round 69 to win the Northern Trust Open by two shots in California.

Australia's Aaron Baddeley established a one-shot lead after the third round of the Northern Trust Open in California today.

A second-round 66 gave Fred Couples a two-shot lead at the Northern Trust Open in California today.

Scotland’s Martin Laird shot a four under par 67 to hold a share of the lead after the opening round of the Northern Trust Open in California.

PÁDRAIG Harrington’s self-belief and confidence are two of the strongest weapons in his golfing armoury but both must be severely dented after a dreadful finish to the AT&T Pro-Am at Pebble Beach.