Ryder Cup ace Paul McGinley was battling to make the cut at the TCL Classic in Hainan after moving to three under par during his second round at the Yalong Bay Golf Club today.

Thailand’s Chapchai Nirat produced a stunning opening-round 11-under-par 61 to open up a three-shot lead over Argentina’s Rafael Echenique at the TCL Classic in Hainan today.

England’s Lee Westwood trails clubhouse leader Rafael Echenique by two shots at the TCL Classic in Hainan after carding an opening six-under-par 66 at the Yalong Bay Golf Club today.

Ireland’s Paul McGinley hopes his experience of the course at the Yalong Bay Golf Club will put him firmly in contention when the TCL Classic in Hainan begins tomorrow.

Ryder Cup-wining captain Ian Woosnam is seeking a return to form at the TCL Classic in Hainan this week after an inglorious comeback following last year’s K-Club success.

China’s Lian Wen-chong is up 40 spots to 78th following his win at the Singapore Masters while Padraig Harrington also climbed a place.

Anton Haig admits he has had little time to come to terms with his new-found fame after claiming the biggest win of his young career at last weekend’s Johnnie Walker Classic.

Mikko Ilonen hopes becoming the first Finn to win on the European Tour will do wonders for the sport in his homeland.

The odds are good for a home victory in this week’s Scandinavian Masters with an amazing 48 Swedish players among the 159-strong field at Barseback.

Apart from the millions of midges that have made Loch Lomond their breeding ground there were perfect conditions for the start of the second round in the Barclays Scottish Open today.

After leading for much of the day, Ireland’s Darren Clarke was overtaken by Scot David Drysdale and Sweden’s Johan Edfors at the Barclays Scottish Open today.

Ryder Cup star Paul McGinley declined the option favoured by many of his contemporaries in embarking early for next week's US Open, preferring instead to travel to Austria.

Every Ryder Cup race throws up some unexpected names – but only a clairvoyant would have come up with that of Johan Edfors.

The chip which set up Paul Broadhurst’s victory at the Portuguese Open has earned him the European Tour’s RBS Shot of the Month award for March.

Paul Casey continued his love affair with China as he mastered the greens to put himself within two shots of leader Henrik Stenson at the end of the third round of the BMW Asian Open.

England’s David Lynn, the overnight leader, was joined at the head of the field by Prayad Marksaeng early in his round on day three of the Volvo China at the Honghua International Golf Club.

Portugal’s Jose Filipe Lima shares a four-way lead at the top of the leaderboard in the second round of the Volvo China Open after firing a three-under-par 69 at the Honghua International Golf Club.

Frenchman Christian Cevaer set the early pace at the Volvo China Open, firing a six-under-par 66 to grab a one-stroke lead at the Honghua International Golf Club in Beijing.

Swedish rookie Christian Nilsson is keen to raise his profile – and keep his bank manager happy in the process.

Paul Broadhurst took time out after equalling the course record of 64 at Le Meridien in the Portuguese Open to thank veteran Scottish coach Bob Torrance.

Swedish star Christian Nilsson made a blistering start in the Portuguese Open to go to the top of the leaderboard.

IAN WOOSNAM believes there are good reasons to be cheerful in this Ryder Cup year. The European team captain has been delighted by the form of Henrik Stenson and Nick Dougherty.

Ian Woosnam believes there are good reasons to be cheerful in this Ryder Cup year.

TCL CLASSIC winner Johan Edfors is expecting a major career change after the 30-year-old Swede won his first tournament on the European Tour on the Chinese island of Hainan.

Sweden’s Johan Edfors claimed his first European Tour title with victory in the TCL Classic on the Chinese resort island of Hainan as overnight leader David Howell’s bid fell apart in the final round.

David Howell has his eyes on a European Tour scoring record as he bids to win the low-scoring TCL Classic on the Chinese resort island of Hainan.

David Howell’s grip on pole position at the TCL Classic on the Chinese resort island of Hainan slipped as the Englishman was overtaken during the third round.

Ryder Cup team-mates Paul Casey and Paul McGinley heaped praise on European Order of Merit leader David Howell after the Englishman raced to the front at the TCL Classic on the Chinese resort island of Hainan.

David Howell maintained the red-hot pace at the top of the TCL Classic leaderboard as a 63 moved him to 17-under-par 127 after two rounds.

David Howell was relishing life among the pacesetters after firing himself into early contention following the first round of the TCL Classic in the Chinese resort of Hainan.

David Howell was relishing life among the pacesetters after firing himself into early contention following the first round of the TCL Classic in the Chinese resort of Hainan.

Ireland's Stephen Browne made a blistering start to the TCL Classic iin China with a first-round 65 to lie just thee shots off the pace .

Champion Paul Casey hit an impressive opening round of 65 to begin his defence of the TCL Classic but was still three shots off the lead after a morning of low scoring at the Yalong Bay Golf Club.

RYDER CUP veteran Paul McGinley believes qualifying for this year’s European team to face the United States could be the most challenging in the event’s history.

Paul Casey is aiming to continue his love affair with China’s burgeoning golf scene as he sets out to successfully defend his TCL Classic title this weekend at the Yalong Bay Golf Club on the resort island of Hainan.

IRELAND'S "big three" of Padraig Harrington, Darren Clarke and Paul McGinley have suffered a noticeable drop in their world rankings since the beginning of 2006.

The threatened boycott by Asian Tour players of next month’s Indonesian Open has been avoided following further talks with the European tour.

PAUL McGinley has been rewarded for a year that saw him win the Volvo Masters and rise from 68th in the world rankings to a career-high 18th by being named the O2 Irish Golf Writers’ Association ‘Professional Player of the Year’ for 2005.

The new year may still be more than a month away, but Paul Casey is already enjoying the 2006 season far more than 2005 after winning the Volvo China Open.

PRE-TOURNAMENT favourite Paul Casey, who all but ruled himself out of contention after two rounds, overturned a five-shot deficit to claim his fifth European Tour title in the Volvo China Open.

AN alternative career as a tipster could be on the cards for Paul Casey if the first round of the Volvo China Open is anything to go by.

England’s Barry Lane struck a blow for the older generation in the first round of the Volvo China Open today.

Pre-tournament favourites Paul Casey and Stephen Dodd left themselves plenty to do after their opening rounds of the Volvo China Open today.

PAUL CASEY has targeted a place in the world’s top 50 by the end of a year he is glad to see the back of.