Pádraig Harrington’s Masters aspirations look more distant after he slumped to an equal worst PGA Tour round in shooting 80 on the final day of the Arnold Palmer Invitational in Orlando.

Paul McGinley promises to be the most well prepared captain Europe has ever had when he leads the side at Gleneagles next September.

It now seems only Colin Montgomerie can come between Paul McGinley and the captaincy of the 2014 European Ryder Cup team.

THERE will be no gold medals here; no trinkets, baubles or pay cheques.

Defending Alfred Dunhill Links champion Michael Hoey has sprung to the defence of fellow Irishmen, Rory McIlroy and Graeme McDowell, who have opted to skip this week’s Scottish event.

They began the day so well, but as Graeme McDowell and Rory McIlroy were beaten in their fourball match with Keegan Bradley and Phil Mickelson at Medinah last night, they had the look of heavyweight boxers taken 12 rounds.

Asked to explain Europe’s great Ryder Cup record since 1995, Ian Poulter spoke of team spirit conquering individual superiority.

GRAEME McDowell has experienced the highs of a Ryder Cup victory at Celtic Manor and the deep disappointment of a defeat on American soil but he believes European star power next week in Chicago can overcome any fervent home support at Medinah.

Pádraig Harrington’s omission from the European Ryder Cup team ends a run which began in 1999 with his debut in the infamous Battle of Brookline.

Pádraig Harrington will not make this year’s Ryder Cup team unless he plays “extraordinarily well” in the closing stages of the race.

Tiger Woods produced some of the old magic to match Jack Nicklaus’ career tally of 73 PGA Tour wins with his fifth victory at the Memorial Tournament last night.

England's Ross Fisher has given himself the chance to re-ignite his career back at the scene of his 2010 Ryder Cup debut.

The highest cut of the European Tour season so far was on the cards as Celtic Manor once again presented a tough challenge today.

Hunter Mahan rates Rory McIlroy “the best player in the world right now for sure” – but it is the American who has won the first world championship of the year and Luke Donald who still tops the rankings for one more week at least.

Hunter Mahan, the man whose defeat to Graeme McDowell decided the last Ryder Cup, raced into the semi-finals of the Accenture Match Play Championship in Tucson today.

Graeme McDowell has put sentiment aside, declaring irreparable damage to his Ryder Cup winning driver has been a “blessing in disguise”.

Jose Maria Olazabal could hardly have asked for more from the first qualifying event for his Ryder Cup team.

Ireland’s Peter Lawrie was setting the pace for the second week running when the Johnnie Walker Championship began after a 160-minute fog delay at Gleneagles today.

ROSS FISHER did not turn up at Killarney 12 months ago to spoil the party.

Graeme McDowell’s 30th place at the Saab Wales Open has cost him three spots on the world rankings.

Graeme McDowell is relishing defending his US Open title next week – despite finishing off the pace at a wet and windy Celtic Manor.

DARREN CLARKE, pictured, is not going to forget Celtic Manor’s 14th hole for a while.

Darren Clarke is not going to forget Celtic Manor’s 14th hole for a while.

Defending champion Graeme McDowell was one of the biggest casualties today as Celtic Manor – scene of so much glory for him last year – turned into a course of carnage.

DEFENDING the US Open in a fortnight’s time is the big date coming up for Graeme McDowell, but first comes this week’s SAAB Wales Open — and he wants to win that again too.

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.

NEW Ryder Cup captain Jose Maria Olazabal has been given what he wanted for next year’s defence of the trophy in Chicago — only two wild cards and a change to the qualifying system.

New Ryder Cup captain Jose Maria Olazabal has been given what he wanted for next year’s defence of the trophy in Chicago – only two wild cards and a change to the qualifying system.

Jose Maria Olazabal today described becoming Europe’s new Ryder Cup captain “my proudest moment”.

Jose Maria Olazabal is expected to be named as the new captain of Europe’s Ryder Cup team today.

JOSE MARIA OLAZABAL will be named Europe’s next Ryder Cup captain next month. A press conference is scheduled for January 18 in Abu Dhabi, where the European Tour’s four-week Middle East swing begins two days later.

JOSE-MARIA Olazabal this week begins his bid to convince Tour chiefs he should captain Europe in their Ryder Cup defence against the USA at Medinah in 2012.

RYDER CUP hero Graeme McDowell admitted yesterday that he nearly spoke up when he heard he was down for the anchor role at Celtic Manor on Monday.

Ryder Cup hero Graeme McDowell has confirmed that he will be taking up US Tour membership next season.

AFTER Paul McGinley came out publicly yesterday in favour of Jose-Maria Olazabal for the job at Medinah, Chicago, in two years’ time, it is now a virtual certainty that Ireland will have to wait at least another four years before being honoured with the captaincy of the European Ryder Cup team.

LEE WESTWOOD hailed a “phenomenal effort” from Europe’s Ryder Cup stars after their Celtic Manor masterclass left the United States in disarray.

PLAYERS and fans have had a rough time at the 38th Ryder Cup but spare a thought for Jim McKenzie, the man responsible for making sure the rain-battered Twenty Ten course survives the fickle Welsh weather.

Lee Westwood tonight hailed a “phenomenal effort” from Europe’s Ryder Cup stars after their Celtic Manor masterclass left the United States in disarray.

Colin Montgomerie placed a note above the lockers of every one of his Europe team to read when they arrived at Celtic Manor this morning.

Celtic Manor chairman Terry Matthews, who spent millions to bring the Ryder Cup to Wales, put the fans first today in a statement about the match spilling into Monday because of bad weather.

Graeme McDowell and Rory McIlroy have beaten Zach Johnson & Hunter Mahan 3 & 1 to tie the Ryder Cup at six points apiece.

WITH the golf shots at a bare minimum and Mother Nature a dominating winner on the first day of the 38th Ryder Cup matches, there was nonetheless a desperate search for storylines to satisfy our appetite for this biennial event.

PADRAIG HARRINGTON put his time to good use at Celtic Manor when the rain came down on the Ryder Cup and play was suspended for seven hours and 18 minutes as he and Luke Donald played American rookies Bubba Watson and Jeff Overton.

A Monday finish for the first time in the history of the Ryder Cup looms larger after heavy rain forced play to be suspended on the opening morning at Celtic Manor.