Ryder Cup captain Paul McGinley has dismissed the notion of qualifying for his own side, despite showing some prospective team members how it is done in the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles.

The days when membership of the European Tour was considered a gateway to riches and a luxurious lifestyle would appear to be a thing of the past judging by the lack of activity at a time of year when it should be at its busiest.

Starts do not come much better than the one made by Swede Mikael Lundberg at the Omega European Masters in Switzerland today.

Four birdies in three holes around the turn pushed defending champion Thongchai Jaidee hot onto the heels of battling leader Tano Goya of Argentina at the Ballantine’s Championship on Jeju Island.

Benn Barham goes into today's Austrian Open third round on 13-under-par, having matched the lowest 36-hole aggregate of the Tour season with his scores of 63 and 66.

Padraig Harrington and Trevor Immelman, winners of three majors between them last year, were left with plenty of ground to make up after their opening rounds of the Abu Dhabi Championship today.

Charl Schwartzel fired a flawless seven-under-par 64 to take a share of the lead at the Madrid Masters, but revealed afterwards he was struggling with injury and illness and had considered withdrawing.

Lee Westwood and Graeme McDowell did a lot better on Thursday on their return from playing in the Ryder Cup than Darren Clarke and Colin Montgomerie did on their return from watching it on television.

OPTIMISM is high a successful season for professional golf in this country will be maintained, in the €150,000 Challenge of Ireland tournament, starting over the picturesque Christy O’Connor Junior-designed Glasson course near Athlone this morning.

Ireland’s Gary Murphy believes a laid-back approach will pay dividends in the Inteco Russian Open at the Le Meridien Moscow Country Club.

West Ham fan Sam Little believes it will be a “Great Escape” to eclipse that of the Hammers in the Premier League last season if he can keep his European Tour card in the Mallorca Classic.

Scotland’s Marc Warren, winner of the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles, has been named European Tour golfer of the month for August.

Lee Westwood needed a wildcard to make the last Ryder Cup team – and the former European number one is not expecting an easier ride this time around.

South African Dawie Van der Walt has been disqualified from this month’s Russian Open after it emerged he had signed for an incorrect score.

It was a case of Strange by name, strange by nature in the first round of the Scandinavian Masters in Stockholm.

Australian Scott Strange today made the most of his last-minute call up to the Scandinavian Masters by setting the clubhouse target in the first round.

Sweden's Per-Ulrik Johansson kept his cool to win the Russian Open in Moscow by six shots.

Sweden's Per-Ulrik Johansson will take a four-shot lead into the final round of the Russian Open in Moscow.

Irishman Gary Murphy moved to within four shots of the lead when he finally completed his second round at the Russian Open in Moscow this morning.

Sweden’s Per-Ulrik Johansson shot a brilliant 10-under-par 62 to race into a clear lead at the Russian Open before torrential rain for the second successive day brought an early finish.

Ireland's Padraig Harrington is five shots off the lead heading into the second day of the Bridgestone Invitational in Ohio today.

Swede Per-Ulrik Johansson hit a stunning 10-under-par round of 62 to take a clear lead in the second round of the Russian Open in Moscow.

Swede Christian Nilsson leads the Russian Open in Moscow by one shot after carding a bogey-free round at Le Meridien Moscow Country Club.

Ireland's Gary Murphy is tied for third place on the opening day of the Russian Open in Moscow today.

SCOTLAND’S Richie Ramsay makes his professional debut at the Russian Open today accepting the hard work is about to start.

Scotland’s Richie Ramsay makes his professional debut at the Russian Open tomorrow accepting that the hard work is about to start.

Scotland’s Richie Ramsay dealt a blow to Britain and Ireland’s hopes of winning back the Walker Cup by announcing today he was turning professional – just five weeks before the match against the Americans.

Irishman David Higgins shot a poor 76 in today's fifth round of the European Tour qualifying school final at San Roque to leave him a lot to do in tomorrow's final day to creep into the top 30. Higgins stands at joint 71st.

Ryder Cup star Paul Casey and European Tour rookie Alejandro Canizares are captain Colin Montgomerie’s latest selections for next month’s inaugural Goodwill Trophy in China.

Ireland’s Gary Murphy can seal his European Tour card for next season and beyond in emphatic fashion in the final round of the Mallorca Classic tomorrow.

Ireland’s Gary Murphy had one eye on the upper reaches of the Order of Merit rather than the bottom in the third round of the Mallorca Classic.

Padraig Harrington’s worst round of the year dealt a potentially fatal blow to his bid to become European number one at the Mallorca Classic.

GARY MURPHY will almost certainly save his European Tour card should he make the cut in the Majorcan Open this week — even though he is three places outside the top 115 on the order of merit who retain their playing privileges in 2007.

Padraig Harrington today became the eighth member of the European Ryder Cup team – but not in a way that gave him any great pleasure.

Ireland’s Gary Murphy believes new Russian Open champion Alejandro Canizares has a bright future.

Spain’s Alejandro Canizares, son of former Ryder Cup star Jose Maria, shot a final-round 66 to win the Russian Open. Ireland's Gary Murphy finished in third place.

Scotland’s David Drysdale held on to top spot on the leaderboard at the Russian Open as he established a one-shot lead through 12 holes of the course at the Moscow Country Club.

SCOTLAND’S David Drysdale shared the clubhouse lead with two Spaniards midway through day two of the Russian Open.

Scotland’s David Drysdale shares the clubhouse lead with two Spaniards midway through day two of the Russian Open.

David Drysdale hopes he can earn a “life-changing” victory at the Russian Open this weekend by securing a tour exemption.

David Drysdale felt his hard work had paid off after shooting a career-low in Moscow today.

Scotland’s David Drysdale produced a sparkling 10-under-par round of 62 to seize the first-round lead at the Russian Open.

England’s Philip Golding made a bright start to the Russian Open at the Moscow Country Club this morning.