One of the biggest stars of Irish golf, Christy O’Connor Jnr, has been remembered as a gentleman and sporting inspiration after he died on holiday in Tenerife.

Italy will host the Ryder Cup for the first time when the biennial event heads to Rome’s Marco Simone Golf and Country Club in 2022.

Golfing legend Jack Nicklaus has cancelled his European trip and pulled out of Monday’s Christy O’Connor Junior Celeb-Am in aid of Galway Hospice at Galway Bay Golf Resort.

The Dubai Duty Free Irish Open may have migrated north for this year’s prestigious European Tour event but while the tournament heads to Royal County Down next month, schoolchildren up and down the country have a chance to bring the winners’ trophy and the Open’s famed Claret Jug to their classroom.

Paul Azinger has welcomed reports Davis Love will captain the US Ryder Cup team for the second time at Hazeltine in 2016. 

Tiger Woods believes either Darren Clarke or Miguel Angel Jimenez would make an ideal European Ryder Cup captain in 2016.

Patrick Reed gained a small measure of revenge for last month’s Ryder Cup defeat by knocking European hero Jamie Donaldson out of the Volvo World Match Play Championship yesterday.

When eight-time major champion Tom Watson was picked to captain the US Ryder Cup team at Gleneagles, it was considered a masterstroke by the US PGA.

It was almost the calm before the storm as the European and US Ryder Cup teams joked and wise-cracked their way through a light-hearted practice session.

United States captain Tom Watson has confirmed that Steve Stricker is being considered for a Ryder Cup wild card, despite already being chosen as a vice-captain.

Jason Dufner hopes to simply complete 72 holes in the defence of his US PGA title and secure his place on the US Ryder Cup team.

European Ryder Cup captain Paul McGinley had a sense US Open champion Martin Kaymer was on the verge of producing something special and believes the “low maintenance” German will make an ideal team member at Gleneagles.

Irish golf photographer Pat Cashman found himself at the other end of the camera lens at the Volvo Champions event in Durban yesterday.

Ryder Cup captain Paul McGinley is assured of a major say in who succeeds him for the 2016 match against the United States after European team chiefs announced an overhaul of the selection process.

Tiger Woods today said that Sergio Garcia did not apologise in person when the pair met on the practice range ahead of the US Open at Merion yesterday.

Sergio Garcia was today trying to focus on the first round of the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth after his public row with Tiger Woods took an unwelcome turn.

Sergio Garcia has escaped punishment for what could be construed as a racist remark about Tiger Woods after offering an unreserved apology for his “stupid and out of place” comments at the European Tour’s annual awards ceremony.

Tiger Woods has labelled a remark made about him by Sergio Garcia as “wrong and hurtful,” but believes there is “real regret” that it was made.

There have been some statements from either side of the Atlantic in recent days that have been giving pause for thought regarding the relative status of the European Tour and its bold and brash American cousin, the PGA Tour.

Graeme McDowell could have been speaking for the entire European contingent when he summed up his efforts at this year’s Masters.

More players will make the halfway cut in the Masters this year after Augusta National chairman Billy Payne announced changes to the system used for 50 years.

While the world’s media will focus almost exclusively over the next few days on Rory McIlroy and his attempts to explain his walk out during the Honda Classic, this week’s WGC Cadillac World Championship will also be of considerable significance for Pádraig Harrington.

Europe’s Ryder Cup team staged a remarkable comeback to retain the Ryder Cup last night, battling from 10-6 down overnight – having trailed 10-4 – to beat the United States 14 1/2-13 1/2 at Medinah Country Club in Chicago.

Rory McIlroy is in a four-way tie at the top of the leaderboard at the BMW Championship at Crooked Stick after shooting an opening round of 64 last night.

Paul McGinley is still on a high from watching the Olympics, but does not have to wait long to witness what is sure to be another thrilling sporting event.

It was a very different Darren Clarke who spoke about Gleneagles yesterday to the one who five years ago lashed into the course chosen for the 2014 Ryder Cup.

It was a very different Darren Clarke who spoke about Gleneagles today to the one who five years ago lashed into the course chosen for the 2014 Ryder Cup.

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.

Rory McIlroy reclaimed his status as the No 1 golfer in the world at the Wells Fargo Championship on the US PGA Tour at Quail Hollow in Charlotte, North Carolina last night.

Tom Lewis is not the only surprise name currently in position to qualify for Europe’s Ryder Cup team – fellow Englishman Sam Little is there too.

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

Lee Westwood started the Barclays Scottish Open with a seven-under-par 65 at the new Castle Stuart links near Inverness today.

SEVERIANO Ballesteros knew as soon as he set foot in Ireland for the first time in 1976 that he would love the country and that the affection would be returned a thousand fold.

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

1 THE Mary Byrne award for best female performance this year, happily, has been marked by our girls representing on the world stage.

Padraig Harrington holds the halfway lead at the Iskandar Johor Open after firing a five-under-par 67 today.

Seve Ballesteros today sent his congratulations to Europe's victorious Ryder Cup team.

Luke Donald held a one-shot lead after a superb outward 32 in his second round of the Tour Championship in Atlanta today.

Captain Colin Montgomerie has vowed to reinvigorate Europe’s Ryder Cup team after a limp showing under Nick Faldo two years ago.

European Tour big-hitter Nicolas Colsaerts equalled his lowest score on the circuit with an opening eight-under-par 62 in the KLM Open at Hilversum today.

The week in which his marriage officially ended could also be the one in which Tiger Woods finally loses his position as the world’s number one golfer.

Tiger Woods tonight suffered his worst tournament finish as a professional - but still held onto his position as world number one.

PÁDRAIG HARRINGTON was rewarded for his decision to carry on playing after the trials of Pebble Beach as he took an early share of the first-round lead at the Travelers Championship in Connecticut last night.