Irish interest in the Ryder Cup doesn’t stop at the three players and the two vice-captains. There’s also a trio of bagmen keeping their employers on the short grass. Charlie Mulqueen explains

IT seems inconceivable that a man could walk off the Old Course at St Andrews after shooting a nine under par 63 in the first round of the 150th Open Championship and feel just a little disappointed.

THE MAGNIFICENT victories at the weekend of Justin Rose in Ohio and Graeme McDowell in Wales coming on the back of the recent achievements by Luke Donald, Rory McIlroy, Ian Poulter and Lee Westwood are piling the pressure on Padraig Harrington to end his title drought.

AS Irish Open sponsors “3”continue their search for a suitable date for the Irish Open in 2010 with their preference currently heading towards the August weekend, they may take some consolation from the unfortunate situation in which another big spending European Tour sponsor, Volvo, find themselves.

PÁDRAIG HARRINGTON’S bank manager and his many commercial sponsors are all smiling broadly again.