Golf hasn’t been part of the Olympic programme since 1904 so you would have expected that the commencement of the men’s golf tournament today would be a time for celebration.

German sport-shoe maker Adidas forecast sales may rise at the fastest pace in five years as consumers spend more ahead of the Euro 2016 soccer tournament, setting up its incoming chief for a potentially better period than the company’s recent past.

Adidas chief executive Herbert Hainer, who in May praised the strong reception the company’s new golf drivers were getting from pros and duffers alike, did an about-face yesterday.

German sportswear firm Adidas expects to meet its target for €2 billion of soccer sales this year as the World Cup fires demand for its shirts, boots and balls.

Sergio Garcia has reiterated his desire to apologise in person to Tiger Woods after European Tour chief executive George O’Grady unwittingly reopened the racism row which has overshadowed the BMW PGA Championship.

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.

They may have been 1989 Irish Boys team-mates but that’s where Pádraig Harrington and Simon Parkhill’s golfing careers took very divergent pathways.

FOLLOWING the success of the r7 and R9 drivers, the release of TaylorMade’s third generation R11 adjustable driver was bound to cause a buzz in the equipment world.

DARREN CLARKE heads fly fishing this week, hopeful he’s not far away from landing another Tour victory.

Sportswear giant Adidas – owner of Reebok and golf brand TaylorMade – today revealed a 97% slide in profits for the first three months of this year.

RYDER Cup captain Nick Faldo has warned his players they cannot afford to ease up even if they think they are already assured of a place in his team.

Ryder Cup captain Nick Faldo has warned his players they cannot afford to ease up even if they think they are already assured of a place in his team.

COLM MORIARTY from Athlone, 26, was born to be a golf professional.

DARREN CROWE, a 24-year-old full-time golfer from Dunmurry, meets Pat Murray, 34, secretary/manager at Limerick Golf Club, in the first semi-final of the South of Ireland Championship at Lahinch this morning.

GRAEME McDOWELL’S ambition of getting into the world’s top 50 before the end of the season is edging ever closer.

TIME was when a caddie’s job was to carry the clubs and keep his mouth shut. Those days are long ago, especially where the professional game is concerned, and there has been as much talk about certain European Tour caddies in recent weeks as there has been about their employers.

WHILE there was understandable surprise that Graeme McDowell should have emerged victorious in only his fourth appearance on the European Tour on Sunday, those who have followed his progress in the amateur ranks both here in Ireland and on the collegiate circuit in the United States were confident he was destined for great things in the game of golf.