Irish golfers have captured four major championships since 2011 but in that same timeframe, eight of our best and brightest have taken the plunge into the professional ranks.

Greystones’ Paul Dunne survived the shock of nearly missing his tee time and went on to become the first Irish amateur to come through Final Qualifying for the British Open for 27 years.

Never mind the Irish pros and their majors, there is plenty of homegrown talent poised to follow them on the road to stardom if the form of Ireland’s leading amateurs is anything to go by.

Donegal’s Ruaidhri McGee is on the verge of progressing through to the final European Tour Qualifying School event next weekend after another superb round at Las Colinas in Spain.

John Daniel Guiney is a name familiar to golf fans in his native Kerry.

One of the richest tournaments on the European Tour schedule, the $5m (€3.7m) Dunhill Links, is on this week over three outstanding links courses on the east coast of Scotland — but just three members of the 2012 European Ryder Cup team are competing.

Belfast’s Ruaidhri McGee returned to the top of the leaderboard on the European Tour qualifying school in Cheshire yesterday — and looks certain to move into the second stage.

Paul McGinley continues to make it clear that he will be his own man when attempting to mastermind Europe’s Ryder Cup defence at Gleneagles next year.

There are no Irish players in the top ten after round three of the Irish Open.

Shane Lowry is prepared to take one for the team this week as he gears up for what is potentially the biggest summer of his career.

Alan Dunbar, the 2012 British Amateur champion who competed in the Masters earlier this month, has turned professional.

JUST when the 77th Masters was in danger of being regarded as one of the flattest for years, it was saved by the dramatic birdie-fest over the closing holes that saw Adam Scott pip Angel Cabrera.

Chinese schoolboy Guan Tianlang, at 14 the youngest player in Masters history, carded a first round of 73 today to lead the contest to finish top amateur at Augusta National yesterday.

Graeme McDowell will not be downbeat after his opening-round 73 at the Masters, remaining positive that he is by no means out of the hunt for a much-coveted green jacket at Augusta National.

Irish golf fans will have to stay patient to watch Rory McIlroy get his bid for Masters glory under way tomorrow after the two-time major champion was drawn in the penultimate group of the opening round at Augusta National.

One of Ireland’s Masters contingent this week will be Alan Dunbar, using his exemption as British Amateur champion.

He might have been watched by 60 years-old Des Smyth, but Niall Gorey is determined to become the oldest swinger in town by breaking his championship duck in the West of Ireland Amateur Open at Rosses Point today.

Waterford hurling great Paul Flynn is hoping that ignorance is bliss when he makes his championship debut in the Radisson Blu sponsored West of Ireland Amateur Open at Rosses Point today.

Ireland finished a highly-creditable third in the European Nations Cup after a splendid final day at Sotogrande.

British Amateur champion Alan Dunbar thought his place in the 2013 Masters was priceless.

Rory McIlroy may be gearing up for his seasonal debut on the European Tour but it is PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem who has most to look forward to from the world No 1’s 2013 schedule.

An ailing Rory McIlroy will be looking to the horizon and hoping continuing Singapore storms abate just long enough to leave the way clear for him to secure the Race to Dubai title.

Mark Murphy’s Q School dreams were shattered yesterday after he sustained a nasty injury competing at the Las Colinas course.

Irish amateur star Alan Dunbar finished just one shot off the bottom of the leaderboard after yesterday’s first round of European Tour second stage qualifying at Lumine Golf & Beach Club in north-east Spain.

Fourteen Irish golfers begin the second stage of the European Tour qualifying school at four venues throughout Spain today.

Irish amateur star Alan Dunbar survived a collapse over the closing seven holes at Wychwood Park before managing to squeeze through to the second stage of European Tour qualifying.

Paul Cutler’s European Tour career remains on hold after the former Walker Cup star missed the 54-hole cut at the first stage of the Qualifying School for the second year in a row.

Three Irish golfers, Peter O’Keeffe (Muskerry), Damian Mooney (Ballyliffin) and Mark Staunton (Ballinasloe), take part in the first European Tour School at the Roxburghe Hotel, Kelso, Scotland today.

Shell-shocked skipper Nigel Edwards believes Great Britain and Ireland’s budding professionals need to improve their short games after late collapses allowed the Continent of Europe to claim the St Andrews Trophy in enemy territory for the first time.

Waterford Castle’s Kevin Phelan produced sensational short game magic to grab a crucial singles win and help Great Britain and Ireland take a 7-5 lead over the Continent of Europe into the final day of the St Andrews Trophy at Portmarnock.

A decision by Shane Lowry not to let the Alpine course overshadow him paid dividends, with the Esker Hills star producing his equal-best round in four appearances in the Omega European Masters.

With the disappointing late withdrawal of the Slieve Russell twins Leona and Lisa Maguire, the focus of attention turned to the other Irish competitors in the smaller-than-usual field in the British Ladies Open stroke-play championship at Shandon Park, Belfast yesterday.

Ireland suffered heartache in a dramatic climax to the Men’s Amateur Home Internationals at Glasgow Gailes on the Ayrshire coast last night as their title disappeared in the dying moments of the round-robin series.

Ireland returned to the Glasgow Gailes Links on the Ayrshire coast at the crack of dawn to complete their battle with Scotland in the Men’s Home Internationals after rain halted play last night.

Ireland captain Pádraig Hogan believes a strong start against hosts Scotland tomorrow will be key to success in the Home Internationals at Glasgow Gailes.

Kevin Phelan will look to carry momentum from his top-five finish at Carton House into the European Amateur Championships into this week’s Home Internationals.

A third-round, seven-under-par 65 from Sweden’s Pontus Widegren may have pushed hopes of a home win in the European Amateur Championship beyond leading Irish men Kevin Phelan and Alan Dunbar.

Alan Dunbar bounced back from a poor opening round to equal the course record at Carton House’s Montgomerie layout and leap into contention at the European Amateur Championship.

Gary Hurley and Geoff Lenehan carried their senior interpro-winning form with Munster into the international arena, being the only Irishmen to go under par on the opening day of the European Amateur Championships at Carton House yesterday.

Rathmore’s Alan Dunbar leads a strong Irish contingent looking to score a home victory against a stacked international field at Carton House this week for the International European Amateur Championship.

Connacht, who bridged a 28 year gap when capturing the title at Rosses Point last year, begin their defence of the Interprovincial Championship this morning with a difficult match against Munster at Royal Co Down.

Tiger Woods holed out from a greenside bunker at the 18th hole last night to change the entire complexion of this Open Championship heading into the weekend’s decisive rounds at Royal Lytham & St Annes.

Darren Clarke’s Open Championship title defence was brought to a premature end last night after the Irishman failed to make the halfway cut at Royal Lytham & St Annes.

Pádraig Harrington was kicking himself for being too tentative after beginning his Open challenge with a level-par 70 at Royal Lytham & St Annes.