The race to make the European Ryder Cup team does not start until next month but captain Darren Clarke is already champing at the bit for qualifying to begin.

Rory McIlroy might have added Ryder Cup stars Martin Kaymer, Luke Donald and Patrick Reed to a stellar field but the world No 1 is chasing an even bigger name for next month’s Dubai Duty Free Irish Open — Phil Mickelson.

Rory McIlroy will be Europe’s talisman at next week’s Ryder Cup and then go on to become the sixth player to complete the career grand slam,according to Gary Player.

A High Court judge has ordered the world’s number one golfer Rory McIlroy and his former management company, Horizon Sports Management, to engage in peace talks over the next four weeks.

Welcome to your Monday morning briefing. Let us ensure you’re up to speed on what’s happening and are prepared for the day ahead.

With Graeme McDowell hoping to enjoy the excitement later today of becoming a new father, he’s shown enormous sportsmanship in wishing Stephen Gallacher well in qualifying for the European Ryder Cup team.

Triple Ryder Cup star Graeme McDowell is confident of being afforded a ‘wildcard’ pick should he drop outside the automatic nine qualifiers following this week’s Barclays Championship in New Jersey.

Ireland’s Shane Lowry believes he has the ability to win the Open Championship in the future.

Ryder Cup watch: England’s Paul Casey needs a massive weekend to successfully defend the Irish Open, but he’s got plenty of motivation as he chases a return to the European Ryder Cup team.

Defending Irish Open champion Paul Casey admits he is still a long way back in the rankings for a place in this year’s European Ryder Cup team.

Golf fans will need to be up at the crack of dawn tomorrow to arrive in good time at Fota Island to watch the marquee draw in the first round of the Irish Open Championship.

Pádraig Harrington hopes a share of fifth at his season-opening Volvo Champions in Durban is a sign of things to come in 2014.

Cork Golf Club will confer honorary life membership on Paul McGinley in recognition of his appointment as the first Irish captain of the European Ryder Cup team at a presentation ceremony in Dublin this afternoon.

There is a billboard on either side of the Wentworth Estate entrance gates with a photograph of last year’s victorious European Ryder Cup team and the caption — ‘Luke who’s back’.

Players with good form at Gleneagles and experience of playing in bad weather will rank “very highly” in the list of contenders for one of European Ryder Cup captain Paul McGinley’s three wild cards.

Hopes of a first Irish victory in the so called ‘fifth Major’, the $9.5 million Players Championship at Sawgrass, faded last night as Rory McIlroy, Pádraig Harrington and Graeme McDowell, all of whom were favourably positioned after Thursday’s opening round, struggled to keep in touch with the leaders.

Pádraig Harrington may be languishing 59th in the world rankings right now but he begins his 2013 campaign in the €2m Volvo Champions event at Durban Country Club, South Africa with confidence.

Paul McGinley to captain Europe at Gleneagles in 2014 followed by Darren Clarke at Hazeltine in 2016.

Take That star Gary Barlow said he was “deeply proud” after returning to Buckingham Palace yesterday to be awarded his OBE by the Queen.

Take That star Gary Barlow will return to Buckingham Palace today to be rewarded for his long career in showbusiness.

With Paul McGinley and Darren Clarke now neck and neck favourites to captain the European Ryder Cup team at Gleneagles in 2014, and Shane Lowry winning his first tournament as a professional in Portugal, the game in Ireland has certainly been in the news over the last week or so.

England's Graeme Storm took a two-shot first-round lead at the KLM Open after a seven-birdie 63 at Hilversum today.

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.

Jose Maria Olazabal has chosen Nicolas Colsaerts and Ian Poulter as his two wildcards for the European Ryder Cup team.

Bubba Watson goes into the Barclays Tournament in Farmingdale, New York today with every reason to believe he can pick up his first win in the FedExCup play-offs.

After spending two weeks relaxing on the sun-splashed shores of the Bahamas, Darren Clarke now faces a PGA Championship reality check along the shores of the Kiawah Island.

Pádraig Harrington has his last chance of making the European Ryder Cup team when he travels to Kiawah Island this week in search of a second US PGA Championship.

Pádraig Harrington’s run of top-10 Major finishes this year came to an end in The Open yesterday but he left Royal Lytham in a positive mood with the PGA Championship fast approaching and a Ryder Cup place to chase.

Next month’s Irish Open has received another major boost with the confirmation that US PGA champion Keegan Bradley will be in the field at Royal Portrush Golf Club.

HE has turned 40, fallen to 89th in the world rankings and lost his most benevolent sponsor.

GOLF is one of the most individualistic if not the most selfish of sporting activities.

EVEN titleholders have aspirations and the 2010 Irish Open champion Ross Fisher is no different from the rest of the field this week in looking at Rory McIlroy and Darren Clarke’s major victories as a spur to further personal success.

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

THE companies that declined title sponsorship of the Irish Open must be kicking themselves given the hype and build up to next month’s tournament in Killarney.

THE increasingly lucrative “Gulf Swing” on the European Tour begins Thursday with the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship.

THE formal ratification of Jose-Maria Olazabal as captain of the European Ryder Cup team at Medinah next year takes place shortly after lunch today.

Tony McCoy tonight became the first jockey to be named the BBC’s sports personality of the year in the 57 years of the award.

IT’S that time of year again when Europe’s professional elite have arange of considerations to occupy their thoughts.

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.

PÁDRAIG HARRINGTON delivered the European Ryder Cup team a timely boost in producing an impressive eight under par 64 on the final day of the Vivendi Cup in Chambourcy.

GRAEME McDOWELL expresses complete and unabashed fondness for Rory McIlroy, but you suspect there are times when he wishes his young friend would consider his public utterances a little more carefully.

IT IS little wonder that Colin Montgomerie’s concentration levels suffer now and then, given all the rumours and reports concerning his private life. He was at it again yesterday, when stating Edoardo Molinari would be next in line for a Ryder Cup place should Lee Westwood have to withdraw because of a leg injury.

FOUR years ago, 3 Irish Open Championship leader David Howell was ranked the ninth best golfer on the planet, one of the heroes of the 2006 European Ryder Cup team that thrashed the USA and was seemingly destined to challenge for golf’s highest honours.

THE bookmakers believe it’s going to be all about the home contingent at Killarney this week but there is so much talent in the 150-strong 3 Irish Open field that such a desirable outcome is not a certainty.