ERNIE ELS completed a second successive victory yesterday and is unquestionably the hottest player in golf with The Masters now only 10 days away.

HAVING taken a few weeks off to recharge the batteries, recover from a few nagging aches and get in a few hours of practice, Pádraig Harrington and Rory McIlroy return to action in this week’s Shell Houston Open.

Ernie Els completed a second successive victory today and is unquestionably the hottest player in golf with The Masters now only 10 days away.

THINK of Tiger Woods what you will, but even before he ends his self-imposed exile and tries to win over disappointed and disgusted fans again comes another reminder of the thing that made him famous in the first place.

PÁDRAIG HARRINGTON charged into the early clubhouse lead with a superb six-under-par 65, his low round of the year so far, in the second round of the Transitions Championship in Florida yesterday.

Padraig Harrington charged into the early clubhouse lead with a superb six-under-par 65, his lowest round of the year so far, in the second round of the Transitions Championship in Florida today.

Rory McIlroy has been knocked out of the world’s top 10 following his dismal showing at the WGC-CA Championship.

The last time Ernie Els won at Doral in Miami he went on to win The Open four months later.

PÁDRAIG HARRINGTON finished in a tie for third behind winner Ernie Els and his South African compatriot Charl Schwartzel at the WGC-CA Championship in Miami last night.

Ernie Els bounced back into the big time today when he ended two years without a win at the WGC-CA Championship in Miami.

Padraig Harrington is right in the thick of things with a round to go at the WGC-CA Championship in Miami.

Ernie Els is without a major win since the 2002 Open and without a single Tour win in his last 54 events stretching back more than two years.

PÁDRAIG HARRINGTON was four shots behind leader Ernie Els after moving into contention on six under following a four-under 68 yesterday, in the second round of the WGC-CA Championship at Doral, Miami.

Playing partners Padraig Harrington and Ian Poulter went in totally opposite directions in the second round of the WGC-CA Championship in Miami today.

When it comes to playing bunker shots Luke Donald is in a league of his own at the moment - but he would rather not keep showing it.

RORY McILROY sentenced himself to some hard labour on the practice range after starting the WGC-CA Championship with a bitterly disappointing 76 in windy Miami yesterday.

GRAEME McDOWELL, pictured, has kept his place in the world’s top 50 and will therefore be part of the field for next week’s WGC-CA Championship in Miami.

SO another company, Gatorade, have decided to pull the plug on Tiger Woods.

Northern Ireland’s Graeme McDowell has kept his place in the world’s top 50 and will therefore be part of the field for next week’s WGC-CA Championship in Miami.

Tiger Woods will break his silence and make a statement about his future on Friday.

One of the sponsors who have dropped Tiger Woods are not going to have him playing in their tournament next week.

Next season’s European Tour – starting in South Africa on Thursday – will feature a minimum of 47 tournaments, including six new ones, and will once again culminate in the Dubai World Championship.

Irish Open winner Shane Lowry shared second spot at the World Golf Championships-HSBC Champions in Shanghai today, carding an opening day 66 to sit at six under.

American Nick Watney tied the course record with a virtually flawless eight-under-par 64 to open up a two-stroke lead at the World Golf Championships-HSBC Champions in Shanghai today.

TIGER WOODS isn’t one of those American golfers content to sit at home from one end of the year to the other and flood his already overflowing bank account with still more dollars.

India’s Jeev Milkha Singh today told of his disappointment at having to pull out of this week’s Open with a rib injury.

This year’s edition of the HSBC Champions in China has received a significant boost with elevation to the elite World Golf Championships and a $2m (€1.5m) increase in prize money.

Rory McIlroy has won the European Tour Shot-of-the-Month award for the second time this year.

Denmark’s Soren Kjeldsen warmed up for his Masters debut at Augusta – one he earned after an amazing last-day drama in December – with a dazzling 62 in Seville today.

But for Phil Mickelson, last week’s WGC-CA Championship would have been won by Nick Watney and last month’s Northern Trust Open by Steve Stricker.

Nick Watney and Steve Stricker, both of whom have finished runner-up to Phil Mickelson in the past month, took advantage of the world number two having a week off by moving into the early second round lead at the Transitions Championship in Florida today.

Phil Mickelson is now only 0.52 points behind fellow American Tiger Woods at the top of the world rankings.

WGC-CA Championship winner Phil Mickelson believes he is now on track for a third Masters victory following his success at Doral last night.

Phil Mickelson and Nick Watney were locked in battle at the top of the Doral leaderboard with Jim Furyk at the front of the chasing pack as the WGC-CA Championship neared its conclusion this evening.

Phil Mickelson and Nick Watney are set for another duel at Doral on Sunday after a day of thrust and parry between the Americans at the WGC-CA Championship.

Tiger Woods tonight tipped Irish golfer Rory McIlroy to one day succeed him as world number one.

Rory McIlroy has no intention of curbing his enthusiasm this weekend as he bids for a maiden US PGA Tour title.

Rory McIlroy showed the nerve to match his talent as he reached the halfway point at Doral firmly in contention at the WGC-CA Championship.

Rory McIlroy stormed into contention at Doral as the competition began to heat up in the second round of the WGC-CA Championship.

Prayad Marksaeng jumped into an early outright lead at Doral with Padraig Harrington in hot pursuit as the second round of the WGC-CA Championship got up and running on Friday.

Rocco Mediate, the 46-year-old who last June came so close to toppling Tiger Woods in the US Open, has another chance this weekend for a first victory since 2002.

Padraig Harrington feels he has already vindicated his decision to cut short a three-week break and play the WGC-CA Championship at Doral.

Oliver Wilson missed a chance for a share of the lead at Doral with a disappointing final hole as Padraig Harrington made a welcome return to form today at the WGC-CA Championship.

Jeev Milka Singh and Retief Goosen were the men in form at Doral in the WGC-CA Championship with England’s Oliver Wilson leading the European challenge midway through the opening round.