Irish golfers Rory McIlroy and Padraig Harrington are set to miss the cut in The Players Championship, golf's richest event, at Sawgrass today.

IRELAND’S global reputation as the home of golf’s greatest links courses will be further boosted this year with the confirmation that the Co Louth club at Baltray will stage the Irish Open Championship on May 14-17.

The European Tour is considering a change of name as it looks to forge even closer ties with the rest of the world in battling the strength of the American circuit.

Sergio Garcia will recharge his batteries this week after sealing his place in the European Ryder Cup side by finishing 22nd at the Bridgestone Invitational in Akron won by Tiger Woods.

Annika Sorenstam, the home club member at Bro-Balsta, Sweden, and Mexico’s Lorena Ochoa both shot 69 to remain tied at the top on 13-under-par 206 in the Scandinavian TPC today.

Padraig Harrington and Luke Donald began the final warm-up event for the Masters in impressive style today.

SERGIO GARCIA is the only member of the world’s top ten golfers committed to next month’s World Cup at Villamoura in Portugal’s Algarve.

Alastair Forsyth had hoped he might never have to come back to San Roque on Spain’s Costa del Sol.

PAUL McGINLEY will look to make some amends for failing to qualify for the Masters at one of the oldest events on the European tour this week.

Vijay Singh eagled the first hole on his way to an eight-under-par 63 to take a two-shot lead over Tiger Woods, Bill Haas and John Rollins after the second round of the Deutsche Bank Classic in Massachusetts.

Defending champion David Toms carded his best round of the year – an eight-under-par 63 – to take a one-shot lead at the halfway stage of the FedEx St Jude Classic in Memphis.

IRELAND’S challenge for this week’s Volvo PGA Championship at Wentworth is led by Darren Clarke, a man with a decent record around the Burma Road lay-out.

CAN this finally be the year Phil Mickelson overcomes his demons and wins a major championship?

THE richest event in golf the Players Championship starting at Sawgrass in Florida today has just become even richer.

COLIN MONTGOMERIE must end his woeful Accenture Match Play championship record to halt his slide down the world rankings.

COLIN MONTGOMERIE returns to the 'comfort zone' of the European Tour this week, armed with new clubs and confident of putting his American nightmare behind him.

TIGER WOODS will become the first man to win three successive Masters titles on Sunday.