France's Alexander Levy made the ideal start to his bid for a third victory of the season - and second in China - in the BMW Masters today.

Alexander Levy has won the Portugal Masters after the event was reduced to 36 holes as more rain battered the Oceanico Victoria Golf Club yesterday.

Alexander Levy has won the Portugal Masters after the event was reduced to 36 holes as more rain battered the Oceanico Victoria Golf Club.

With the annual New Orleans Jazz Festival in full swing, Pádraig Harrington struggled to find the right key with a flat performance in the Zurich Classic.

Unheralded Frenchman Alexander Levy thrust himself into the spotlight with a 10-under-par 62 — the lowest score of his career — in the second round of the Volvo China Open.

Ian Poulter believes European captain Paul McGinley will be delighted with the way his side is taking shape ahead of the Ryder Cup in September.

Lee Westwood admits it will be ironic if his first victory since moving to Florida comes in England tomorrow, where the world number 12 could win his maiden BMW PGA Championship at the 20th attempt.

Nicolas Colsaerts will defend his Volvo World Match Play Championship title as the European Tour breaks new ground in Bulgaria this week, but only after his father arrives on a hastily-chartered private jet with his clubs.

Twelve-year-old Ye Wo-cheng had to settle for a round of 79 as he became the youngest player in European Tour history in the Volvo China Open, just seven over par.

Graeme McDowell knew he was already through to the knock-out stages of the Volvo World Match Play Championship at Finca Cortesin yesterday ever before taking on South African Jbe Kruger.

Lee Westwood’s successful defence of the Indonesian Masters title was not enough to lift him above Rory McIlroy at the top of the golf world rankings.

Branden Grace claimed the Volvo China Open title as a final-round 69 left him three shots clear of the rest of the field.

Branden Grace claimed the Volvo China Open title as a final-round 69 left him three shots clear of the rest of the field.

South African Branden Grace took a strong grip on the lead in the Volvo China Open after a sparkling eight-under-par third round of 64.

Damien McGrane let slip the chance to shine in the dull conditions on the second day of the Volvo China Open.

England’s Matthew Baldwin claimed the clubhouse lead on the first day of the Volvo China Open after opening with an assured seven-under-par 65.

Paul Casey will be thinking of his closet as well as his clubs when he takes to the Binhai Lake course at this week’s Volvo China Open in Tianjin.

Rory McIlroy’s return yesterday to the top of the world rankings even though he only tied for 40th in the Masters and didn’t play at all last week has many people mystified as to how this could possibly happen.

Next year’s European Tour will again include just one event Ireland, two in England, one in Wales and three in Scotland.

Next year’s European Tour has been confirmed with the Irish Open switching from late July to the end of June, but with a venue yet to be announced.

NEGOTIATIONS about the future of the 2012 Irish Open are ongoing with a June 28 to July 1 date favourite to get the green light according to sources close to the European Tour.

RORY MCILROY played the most impressive golf of the day and produced a barrage of birdies on the way to beating two-times US Open champion Retief Goosen in yesterday’s opening round of the €3.4 million Volvo World Match Play Championship at Finca Cortesin.

RORY McILROY received “a very long text message” from Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson following his final round collapse at the US Masters.

GRAEME McDOWELL and Rory McIlroy, Ireland’s two representatives in an impressive 24-man field, have been handed difficult draws in the pool stages of the €3.4m Volvo World Match Play which starts at Finca Cortesin, Spain, on Thursday.

ANOTHER dismal week, another slump in the world rankings.

A POOR putt for par on the final hole robbed Peter Lawrie of finishing second on his own at the close of the Volvo China Open in Chenghu.

Nicolas Colsaerts secured a four-shot victory at the Volvo China Open to lift his first European Tour title.

WITHOUT a European Tour win since 2008, Pádraig Harrington’s long wait for a title may be extended after a modest opening 71 left him seven shots off the pace on a day of low scoring at the Volvo China Open.

Defending China Open champion YE Yang is confident he can enter the record books by becoming the first man to retain the title.

SCOTLAND’S Elliot Saltman will be free to return to European Tour golf from next week after serving his three-month ban.

Elliot Saltman has decided not to appeal against his three-month ban from the European Tour.

THOMAS BJORN and Carlos Del Moral both shot rounds of 65 to share a two-shot lead at the top of the Estoril Open leaderboard at the end of the second day.

Thomas Bjorn and Carlos Del Moral both shot rounds of 65 to share a two-shot lead at the top of the Estoril Open leaderboard at the end of the second day.

Australia’s Marcus Fraser won the Ballantine’s Championship today by four shots as a battling three-under-par 69 final round secured a wire-to-wire win and first victory in seven years.

LITTLE did Graeme McDowell appreciate two years ago the magnitude of his victory in the inaugural Ballantine’s Championship in Korea.

GRAEME McDOWELL, who has reclaimed his place in the world top 50 thanks to a top 10 finish in the Volvo China Open, hopes for a repeat of some fond memories at this week’s Ballantines Championship over the Pinx golf course in Jeju Island, Korea.

THIS week’s Champions League semi-final first legs will go ahead as scheduled despite the current restriction on European air travel due to the volcanic ash cloud.

PGA Championship winner YE Yang needed just two final-round birdies to win the Volvo China Open by two shots today at a damp Jinji Lake International Golf Club today.

Sponsors have confirmed the Volvo World Match Play Championship will "definitely" return to the European Tour schedule.

A timely chip-in pushed Finland's Mikko Ilonen into a slender one-shot lead ahead of Korean duo YE Yang and Kim Do-hoon and Jamie Donaldson midway through a see-saw third round at the Volvo China Open today.

ALL five Irish players made the cut following the halfway stage of the Volvo China Open at Jinji Lake International Golf Club yesterday at which Ye Yang ominously moved one shot behind fellow Korean Kim Do-hoon.

An error at the last robbed Kim Do-hoon of a two-shot lead midway through the second round of the Volvo China Open with the in-form Korean forced to settle for a single stroke advantage over fellow overnight leader Thongchai Jaidee and Welshman Jamie Donaldson.

AMERICAN captain Corey Pavin insists Masters champion Phil Mickelson is fully committed to playing at the Ryder Cup at Celtic Manor in October.

IRELAND’s Damien McGrane and Peter Lawrie are three shots off the lead after the opening round of the Volvo China Open.