Northern Ireland’s Graeme McDowell has win through to face Sergio Garcia at the Volvo World Match Play Championship in Spain today.

Rory McIlroy’s victory in the Honda Classic on Sunday will be recorded in the history books as the day he was officially crowned the world’s No 1 golfer.

Rory McIlroy versus George Coetzee; Graeme McDowell facing YE Yang and Darren Clarke against Nick Watney.

Darren Clarke was clearly making the most of his first day as a major champion today – and he hopes it is only four weeks until Lee Westwood is doing the same.

A “FUMING” Ian Poulter is by no means a certain starter at Wentworth next year after another painful experience in the European Tour’s flagship event.

Big-hitting Spaniard Alvaro Quiros made light of blustery conditions to birdie the first two holes and lead the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth today.

Ian Poulter won his second World Match Play title in Spain today – and stopped fellow Englishman Luke Donald from becoming world number one.

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.

Luke Donald and Graeme McDowell were in joint third place entering today’s third round of the Players Championship – golf’s richest event – at Sawgrass.

Tiger Woods did better than Ian Poulter thought he would, but he is still stuck on 14 majors after his putting let him down when he needed it the most in The Masters.

Graeme McDowell, conqueror of Tiger Woods in a play-off in December, will face him again in the first two rounds of The Masters on Thursday and Friday.

GRAEME McDOWELL is riding such a tidal wave of confidence now that not even the prospect of a four-day battle with the Blue Monster seems like a frightening prospect.

South African Rory Sabbatini has a sixth PGA Tour title to his name – and with it places in this week’s world championship and next month’s Masters.

Rory McIlroy and new World Match Play champion Luke Donald were going head to head in Florida today – but it is a clash between McIlroy and Tiger Woods many people are really keen to see soon.

Rory McIlroy was on the receiving end of an absolute hammering at the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship in Tucson today.

Tiger Woods is out of the WGC-Accenture Match Play already, beaten on the first extra hole by Dane Thomas Bjorn in today’s opening round.

Luke Donald booked his place in the second round of the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship before Tiger Woods and Lee Westwood had even hit a shot in Tucson today.

The biggest first prize in golf might not be enough to attract Rory McIlroy next year.

Graeme McDowell is backing Padraig Harrington to give the best possible answer to those who reckon he does not deserve his Ryder Cup chance this week.

Paul Casey, ninth in the world, and Justin Rose, twice a winner in America this summer, have paid the price for not coming back to Europe to fight for a Ryder Cup place.

PÁDRAIG Harrington leads an eight strong Irish challenge into the final two rounds of the €4.5m BMW PGA Championship after firing a faultless best of the day four under par 67 over the West Course at Wentworth yesterday.

Padraig Harrington had to settle for a level par 71 after running up a triple bogey eight on the long 17th in today's first round at the BMW PGA Championship in Wentworth.

Rory McIlroy has not forgotten an important lesson as he sets off at Wentworth today to try to add one of Europe’s biggest titles to his first victory in America earlier this month.

IAN POULTER, forced to take time off recently after hurting his knee playing basketball, is having treatment for a neck strain on the eve of the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth.

IAN POULTER has followed Pádraig Harrington in ending his boycott of the European Tour’s flagship BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth.

Ian Poulter has followed Padraig Harrington in ending his boycott of the European Tour’s flagship BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth.

RYDER CUP captain Colin Montgomerie shrugged off any concerns over a dip in form of Europe’s leading players with only Lee Westwood and Ian Poulter competing against an American resurgence six months ahead of October’s Celtic Manor showdown.

Lee Westwood and Phil Mickelson head into a final day showdown in The Masters at Augusta – after a Saturday that will live long in the memory of all those who saw it.

Two months after providing the finalists at the World Match Play, two Englishmen are now setting the pace in The Masters at Augusta.

Two months after providing the finalists at the World Match Play in Tucson, two Englishmen were setting the pace in The Masters at Augusta today.

ALL the talk is about Tiger Woods returning at The Masters, but all that is in Justin Rose’s head right now is trying to get to Augusta.

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

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

RORY McILROY freely admitted he is glad he is not playing with Lee Westwood today. The two stablemates have not fallen out, but the 20-year-old came off second best when they went head-to-head in Dubai yesterday in their European Tour Order of Merit decider.

Rory McIlroy freely admitted tonight that he is glad he is not playing with Lee Westwood tomorrow.

JUST three years ago, Rory McIlroy was sitting at home watching golf on television and thinking, “I’d love to be able to do that one day.”

Lee Westwood today admitted that it was probably a mistake to play last week's Hong Kong Open.

Australian Robert Allenby renewed battle with American Anthony Kim at the Volvo World Match Play semi-finals in Spain today – and as they shook hands all square at lunch television commentator Wayne Riley described it as a “no love lost” clash.

SERGIO GARCIA insisted yesterday he will again be doing what suits him next year — even if Ryder Cup captain Colin Montgomerie would prefer him to be somewhere else.

Henrik Stenson, Sergio Garcia, Lee Westwood and Martin Kaymer are all now confirmed for the Volvo World Match Play Championship in Spain in four weeks’ time.

IT says a lot for the strength of the game in Ireland that we have four players involved in the US Open starting at Bethpage Park this morning.

Paul Casey headed back to the United States today hoping that the next time he is back in Europe he is a major champion and even higher than third in the world.

PAUL CASEY grabbed his third win of the year yesterday in the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth.

PAUL CASEY, who was told on Wednesday that the world number three spot was there for him to grab this week, is bang on course for it halfway through the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth.