England’s Danny Willett set his sights on a place in the Ryder Cup after holding his nerve to win the Omega Dubai Desert Classic and take a massive step towards a place in the world’s top 10.

Tiger Woods’ return to action after back surgery did not go exactly to plan as the world number five could manage only a three over par 74 in the opening round of the Quicken Loans National at Bethesda.

Peter the crowd worrier

Ireland’s Rory McIlroy shot a disappointing final round 72 for a final score of six under par in the Memorial Tournament in Dublin, Ohio yesterday.

A week may be a long time in politics but 20 hours can feel like a marathon for one of the game’s greatest golfers when his game goes from the sublime to the ridiculous in such a short space of time.

Unheralded Frenchman Alexander Levy thrust himself into the spotlight with a 10-under-par 62 — the lowest score of his career — in the second round of the Volvo China Open.

Home favourite George Coetzee produced a closing 66 to claim the Joburg Open by three shots.

Seven players enjoyed a share of the lead after the first round of the Portugal Masters as a total of 68 players broke par on the Oceanico Victoria Golf Course.

The title sponsor that Pádraig Harrington says he has up his sleeve, and anyone who may be contemplating pumping millions into the Irish Open prize fund, will not have been enthused by the leaderboard in Maynooth yesterday.

Two top American players may have pulled out due to security concerns, but a private jet and some words of advice from Ernie Els have ensured Louis Oosthuizen heads the field for the Ballantine’s Championship in South Korea.

South Africa's Thomas Aiken today claimed his second European Tour title thanks to some self-professed "phenomenal" golf in the Avantha Masters in India.

Charl Schwartzel and Sergio Garcia end the year 14th and 16th in the world respectively after their weekend wins in South Africa and Malaysia.

Graeme McDowell’s victory at the World Challenge in California – his first title since the same event two years ago – has lifted him from 24th to 14th in the world.

Indian Jeev Mikha Singh today became the seventh player to shoot a record 64 on the Earth course in Dubai today - despite an injured finger and concerns about his mother.

Ireland’s Shane Lowry has moved up from 128th to 74th in the world after his victory at the Portugal Masters yesterday.

Jose Maria Olazabal does not believe he has gambled by picking uncapped Belgian Nicolas Colsaerts rather than three-time major winner Padraig Harrington for next month’s Ryder Cup.

Jose Maria Olazabal sought to end a continuing Ryder Cup row by bluntly declaring suggestions of a rift between himself and triple Major winner Padraig Harrington as bullshit.

Rory McIlroy is back as world number one after storming to his second major victory at the USPGA Championship – and David Lynn is up from 98th to a career-high 40th after finishing as a shock runner-up.

Graeme McDowell and Pádraig Harrington, 2nd and 4th in the US Open, spearhead the home challenge in next week’s Irish Open at Royal Portrush.

Lee Westwood maintained his daily average of six birdies at windy Wentworth today – but once again paid a big price for one bad shot.

Had life taken a different turn, James Morrison may well have been occupying the crease at Trent Bridge today.

England’s James Morrison rounded off a brilliant 64 with an eagle to charge into a four-stroke lead early on the second day of the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth today.

Ireland’s Peter Lawrie kept his cool to take a share of the first-round lead at the BMW PGA Championship as Rory McIlroy momentarily lost his in the Wentworth heat.

Peter Lawrie would have been an unlikely choice to become the first Irishman to win the European Tour’s PGA Championship since 1958 but he goes into today’s second round feeling bullish about his chances.

Rory McIlroy and David Drysdale illustrated the fine line between success and failure on the opening day of the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth.

Northern Ireland’s Graeme McDowell has win through to face Sergio Garcia at the Volvo World Match Play Championship in Spain today.

Graeme McDowell knew he was already through to the knock-out stages of the Volvo World Match Play Championship at Finca Cortesin yesterday ever before taking on South African Jbe Kruger.

Justin Rose piled on the agony for Darren Clarke with a 6&4 drubbing at the Volvo World Match Play Championship in Spain today.

Tom Lewis beat Australian John Senden on his Volvo World Match Play debut in Spain today - and as a result put himself and defending champion Ian Poulter into the last 16.

Open champion Darren Clarke has been drawn alongside England’s Justin Rose and Robert Rock in the group stages of this week’s Volvo World Match Play Championship at Finca Cortesin near Marbella this week.

Rory McIlroy has clung onto his spot at the summit of the world rankings despite missing the cut at The Players Championship on Friday night.

Golf’s world number one spot has changed hands for the fifth time in just over two months.

Lee Westwood’s successful defence of the Indonesian Masters title was not enough to lift him above Rory McIlroy at the top of the golf world rankings.

Bubba Watson moved all the way from 16th to a career-high fourth in the world rankings thanks to his play-off victory over Louis Oosthuizen in The Masters.

Rory McIlroy confessed that the strain of getting to world number one took its toll on him as he crashed to his first over par score for five months in the WGC-Cadillac Championship at a blustery TPC Blue Monster.

It was first blood to Luke Donald when he took on Rory McIlroy, the man who dethroned him as world number one on Sunday, and Lee Westwood in Miami today.

Hunter Mahan has climbed from 22nd to ninth in the world after capturing the Accenture Match Play Championship by beating Rory McIlroy in the final.

A struggling Tiger Woods was forced to hole a nine-foot par putt on the 18th to see off Spaniard Gonzalo Fernandez Castano as Graeme McDowell and Darren Clarke crashed out in the first round of the WGC-Accenture Match Play at Dove Mountain.

Graeme McDowell was the first player to tee off in the Accenture Match Play Championship in Tucson today – and the first player to make his exit.

Luke Donald is set to start his Accenture Match Play title defence against former world number one Ernie Els in Tucson on Wednesday.

Thomas Bjorn issued a timely reminder of what happened five months ago after joining Rory McIlroy in the halfway lead at the Omega Dubai Desert Classic today.

Rory McIlroy and Martin Kaymer took over at the top with some brilliant golf on the second morning of the Omega Dubai Desert Classic.

The European Tour has still to see its first round of 59 after yet another chance went begging at the Dubai Desert Classic today.

Rory McIlroy has contested the Omega Dubai Desert Classic more than any other major tour event in his career.