Pádraig Harrington returns to the majors this week at Whistling Straits for the first time since last month’s Open near miss, fighting both the pain of a knee injury and the sense the clock is ticking on his ability to add to his title haul.

Graeme McDowell is not surprised world No. 1 Rory McIlroy has withdrawn from next week’s Open Championship at St Andrews.

Tony McCoy is set to miss Cheltenham’s Open meeting and has resigned himself to being out of action for around two weeks due to the recurrence of an injury suffered at Worcester a month ago.

Sasha Gale was back at work at a car dealership in Belfast yesterday after celebrating Rory McIlroy’s Open win over the past few days. He was spotted with the model enjoying a relaxed lunch and shopping trip in Belfast earlier in the week.