Jordan Spieth would understand why the bookmakers are finding it hard to name an outright favourite for this week’s 146th Open Championship.

The Open Championship has not been a happy hunting ground for Shane Lowry over the past two seasons but Pádraig Harrington believes the 30-year-old has the credentials to become Ireland’s fifth recipient of the Auld Claret Jug.

Rory McIlroy might have the memory of an elephant, but it’s the golf game and the dominance of Tiger Woods at his peak that he seeks as he bids to get back to the top of the world rankings and start winning majors again.

Jordan Spieth needed an extra hole, a little bit of luck and an amazing final shot to finish off a wire-to-wire victory in the Travelers Championship.

Rory McIlroy might have changed his putter three times in as many days but he headed for the Irish Open with hope in his heart after closing with a six-under 64 in the Travelers Championship in Connecticut.

Padraig Harrington is right in contention going into the weekend at the Travelers Championship.

Rory McIlroy will look to bounce back from his US Open disappointment as he makes his debut in the Travelers Championship.

There will have been no tears from Shane Lowry as confirmation came that Darren Clarke would not be making him one of his captain’s picks for Hazeltine next month.

For all the hand-wringing within golf surrounding the absenteeism from the Olympics of the highest ranked players in the men’s game, there are plenty of grateful replacements delighted to fly the flag for their sport and embrace the spirit of the Games in Rio this week.

Pádraig Harrington is ready to play golf’s elder statesman role with off-form Shane Lowry when the Irish pair reunite after the PGA Championship for a practice round at the Travelers Championship in Connecticut.

The 2016 Olympic Games have forced the PGA Tour to make one-off changes in their schedule for the 2015-16 season.

Kevin Streelman sensationally birdied his final seven holes to steal in and pip Sergio Garcia and KJ Choi to victory in the Travelers Championship at TPC River Highlands.

Brendan Steele hit an eagle and six birdies to take a one-shot lead after the opening round of the Travelers Championship in Connecticut last night.

If Justin Rose gets to Saturday night and finds himself still on track for a first successful US Open title defence in 25 years, you may just see the Englishman skipping his country’s World Cup opener with Italy.

As European golf chiefs battle to retain sponsors and a healthy schedule their compatriots across the Atlantic are basking in the game’s high profile stateside.

Pádraig Harrington might be searching for consistency on the greens but he believes he might have found a title sponsor that could guarantee the future of the Irish Open.

Writing off Pádraig Harrington is a bit like writing off Sylvester Stallone’s Rocky — an exercise that’s likely to blow up in your face as the hero takes yet another horrific pummelling but somehow manages to haul himself off the canvas.

Former champion Bubba Watson took the halfway lead at the Travelers Championship after overcoming an unsteady start, but Padraig Harrington was hot on the American’s heels in Connecticut.

Rory McIlroy shrugged off the club mangling incident that marred his US Open finale as nothing more than “a moment of frustration and silly thing to do”.

Pádraig Harrington is confident he will be fit, fresh and ready to go for the British Open at Royal Lytham & St Annes in a fortnight after making the most of a much-needed week off following the Irish Open.

Pádraig Harrington was under par but a little off the pace at the Travelers Championship as he returned to action last night following his US Open fourth-place finish.

THE European Tour is about to begin talks with a new sponsor that could see the Irish Open move from its August Bank Holiday slot to the end of June.

US OPEN champion Rory McIlroy says an arm injury won’t keep him out of the European Masters next week in Switzerland, while he also confirmed that he’s dating top-ranked women’s tennis player Caroline Wozniacki.

AWARE the Irish Open would go ahead in 2011 without a title sponsor, the country’s leading players promised to do all they could to ensure the success of the championship.

FREDRIK JACOBSON accomplished a lot of firsts on Sunday.

Irish golfer Rory McIlroy has climbed to third in the golf world rankings after his runaway victory at the US Open last week.

Sweden's Fredrik Jacobson finished one stroke ahead of Ryan Moore and John Rollins at the Travelers Championship to claim his maiden win on the PGA Tour today.

Sweden’s Fredrik Jacobsen shot a seven-under-par 63 to leap to the top of the Travelers Championship at Cromwell, Connecticut.

Michael Bradley held a one-stroke lead after a first day of the Travelers Championship on which only just over three-and-a-half hours’ play was possible due to thunderstorms.

Tiger Woods' 270-week reign as world number one is well and truly under threat after he produced a miserable opening round on one of his favourite courses.

Phil Mickelson recovered from a poor start in his latest bid to depose Tiger Woods as world number one by shooting a four-under-par 66 in the opening round of the Bridgestone Invitational.

JUSTIN ROSE did not know for certain that he was in next week’s British Open until Sunday night – but now he is one of the favourites.

Justin Rose held his nerve to triumph by one shot at the AT&T National in Pennsylvania last night for his second PGA Tour win in five weeks.

Justin Rose will head into the final round of the AT&T National with a four-shot lead after posting a third successive sub-70 score in Pennsylvania yesterday.

Justin Rose placed the blame for his final-round collapse at the Travelers Championship squarely on his putting as Bubba Watson claimed his maiden PGA Tour victory in Connecticut.

Justin Rose extended his lead at the Travelers Championship as he turned for home in his third round in Connecticut.

Relieved of the burden of trying to seal a maiden win, a relaxed and clear-thinking Justin Rose moved into a four-shot lead heading into the weekend at the Travelers Championship in Connecticut.

PÁDRAIG HARRINGTON was rewarded for his decision to carry on playing after the trials of Pebble Beach as he took an early share of the first-round lead at the Travelers Championship in Connecticut last night.

Padraig Harrington took a share of the early clubhouse lead in Connecticut as the first wave of players completed their opening rounds at the Travelers Championship.

HUNTER MAHAN produced a flawless round for the second consecutive day to win the Waste Management Phoenix Open by a single stroke from rising talent Rickie Fowler.

Hunter Mahan produced a flawless round for the second consecutive day to win the Waste Management Phoenix Open by a single stroke from rising talent Rickie Fowler.