No-one should underestimate the importance of next Tuesday in the golfing life of Darren Clarke, because it is then that he will have to reveal his hand.

As he walked to the first tee of the Centenary Course at Gleneagles to start his singles match on the final day of the 40th Ryder Cup, Rory McIlroy stopped to exchange pleasantries with a very special guest.

European vice-captain Sam Torrance has backed his side’s rookies to thrive under the pressure of the Ryder Cup and make the most of the “huge” advantage of playing at home.

The composition of Paul McGinley’s Ryder Cup backroom team for Gleneagles in September should become a little clearer today when the Dubliner hosts a European Tour press conference in his home town.

A difficult week at Muirfield got even trickier for Open Championship organisers the R&A yesterday as some golfers rounded on near unplayable greens on the sun-parched Scottish links.

They began the day so well, but as Graeme McDowell and Rory McIlroy were beaten in their fourball match with Keegan Bradley and Phil Mickelson at Medinah last night, they had the look of heavyweight boxers taken 12 rounds.

TIGER WOODS could well beup for this Ryder Cup and ifthat’s the case, young Rory McIlroy had better watch out.

The Celtic Manor Wales Open has suffered more drop-outs than the British government this week.

England’s Brian Davis and Greg Owen lie two shots behind first-round co-leaders Paul Goydos and Justin Leonard at the Valero Texas Open following a day of low scoring on Thursday at La Cantera near San Antonio.

Colin Montgomerie was left with an injury worry after a run of bogeys in the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles today.