VANTAGE points were at a premium in Co Kerry as thousands of golf fans lined the fairways to cheer the homegrown heroes who have turned the island into one of the game’s more unlikely superpowers.

Vantage points were at top premium in Co Kerry as thousands of golf fans lined the fairways to cheer the homegrown heroes who have turned the island into one of the game’s more unlikely superpowers.

Golfing hero Darren Clarke returned home today to deliver the game’s biggest prize to his two sons – the Open Championship trophy.

Darren Clarke was clearly making the most of his first day as a major champion today – and he hopes it is only four weeks until Lee Westwood is doing the same.

Darren Clarke, as proud as anyone about what is already a golden era for Irish golf, has the chance this weekend to add another chapter to the remarkable story.

Amateur Tom Lewis and joint overnight leader Thomas Bjorn lost their magic today and threw the 140th Open Championship at Sandwich wide open.

Darren Clarke, happy again and engaged to be married, continued the remarkable Irish golfing story of recent years with a second successive 68 in The Open at Sandwich today.

THEY act like any newly-engaged couple – talking, laughing, full of life and looking forward to spending a long time together.

GRAEME McDOWELL, now up to fifth in the world rankings, is confident that a change from Callawayto Srixon clubs will not harm hisprospects of making a strong start tothe new season in Hawaii this week.

DARREN CLARKE is to remarry after proposing to girlfriend Alison Campbell.

PÁDRAIG HARRINGTON and his European-born US Tour colleagues should no longer have to face any embarrassment or controversy by not returning to Europe and seek to qualify automatically for the Ryder Cup team.

HIS many friends and admirers will be delighted that Darren Clarke’s life is coming together on and off the golf course.

A newly-built primary school has scored a major environmental success by becoming the first building in the UK to be awarded an A-grade for energy efficiency.