Paul Azinger wrote a book on how he won the Ryder Cup for America four years ago and our screens have been full of former captains pouring forth on how they did it but for all the talk, nothing can quite prepare José Maria Olazabal and Davis Love III for what is about to unfold.

A three-under-par 67 earned Fred Couples a two-shot victory at the British Senior Open Championship at Turnberry.

Pádraig Harrington has admitted that wife, Caroline forced him “under threat” to talk to Bernhard Langer about his putting problems.

Martin Kaymer’s Masters week certainly got off to a great start with a trick shot hole-in-one – now he hopes it can finish spectacularly as well.

Paul Casey, ninth in the world, and Justin Rose, twice a winner in America this summer, have paid the price for not coming back to Europe to fight for a Ryder Cup place.

Europe Ryder Cup captain Colin Montgomerie has named Padraig Harrington, Luke Donald and Edoardo Molinari as his three wild card picks to face America at Celtic Manor on October 1-3.

AS if Colin Montgomerie didn’t appear to have an embarrassment of European talent at his disposal heading into Celtic Manor this October, the Ryder Cup captain has thrown another name into the ring for consideration.

Tiger Woods today slumped to a closing round of 77 to cap a miserable week at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational.

Ryder Cup captain Colin Montgomerie has hailed Graeme McDowell’s mental toughness as he brought to an end a European drought at the United States Open that stretched all the way back to Tony Jacklin in 1970.

BERNHARD LANGER has refused to rule out the possibility of being Ryder Cup captain again at the age of 61 in 2018.

A company that manages a gas tanker that was hijacked off the Horn of Africa in late January said the vessel has been released. It said the 13-member crew is well and unharmed.

IT’S been revealed Frenchman Jean Francois Lucquin celebrated last week’s Omega Masters European Tour maiden Tour success with champagne intended for Rory McIlroy.

Allan McNish was forced to settle for third in the latest round of the American Le Mans Series in Detroit.

Actress Sandra Bernhard has accused Paris Hilton and Paula Abdul of having no dignity in their bids to be famous.

England’s David Carter, without a European Tour victory in nine years, emerged from a “deep, dark hole” to lead the KLM Open at the halfway stage..

Andrew Coltart equalled the lowest nine holes in European Tour history as Stefan Langer posted one of the highest scores ever in the first round of the KLM Open.

Bernhard Langer’s pre-tournament prediction proved embarrassingly accurate in the first round of the KLM Open in Zandvoort today.

The player seen as the European most likely to end the eight-year drought in the Majors this week does not believe he has to change his “nice guy” image to do it.

Swede Niclas Fasth tonight praised Bernhard Langer for having “the stuff of champions” – after stopping the 49-year-old German from achieving perhaps the most remarkable victory of his amazing career.

Wales were today making an excellent start to the defence of their World Cup title in the opening round in Barbados.

Colin Montgomerie believes Ian Woosnam is well-equipped to be a successful Ryder Cup captain when Europe defend the title at the K Club in Ireland in September.

PÁDRAIG Harrington last night spoke about his plans for the year and the work he still has to do to command a place in the European team.

Dubliner Paul McGinley hopes destiny can take him all the way to a £1m (€1.5m) jackpot at Wentworth this weekend.

Ian Woosnam is about to discover his worries about Europe not fielding their strongest side in the Ryder Cup next year are not going to go away.

Two of Europe’s biggest stars have told Jose Maria Olazabal they may not be available for next month’s Seve Trophy at The Wynward in Co Durham.

Of the 15 Europeans taking part in the Accenture World Match Play Championship in California this week none has a story to tell quite like that of Sweden’s Joakim Haeggman.

BERNHARD LANGER’S decision to opt out of the captaincy of the European Ryder Cup at The K-Club next year is acutely disappointing.

Bernhard Langer on Tuesday announced he does not want to continue as European Ryder Cup captain.

Controversial Dutch Prince Bernhard acknowledged he had two illegitimate daughters – one in France and another, previously unknown, in the United States - in an interview published posthumously today.

DARREN CLARKE claims it will take more than a change in captaincy to reverse a trend that has seen Europe win four of the last five Ryder Cups.

DARREN CLARKE claims it will take more than a change in captaincy to reverse a trend that has seen Europe win four of the last five Ryder Cups.

Northern Ireland’s Darren Clarke claims it will take more than a change in captaincy to reverse a trend that has seen Europe win four of the last five Ryder Cups.

Padraig Harrington is three down to Ernie Els at lunch in their HSBC World Match Play semi-final and the Irish Ryder Cup player was is up against it.

As if taking on world number two and defending champion Ernie Els was not enough, Padraig Harrington was having to contend with a bruised and battered thumb at Wentworth today.

PÁDRAIG HARRINGTON was left fretting last night that a thumb injury suffered when he smashed it into a tree trunk could wreck his chances of a £1m jackpot this weekend.

Lee Westwood pulled off a notable double today to reach the semi-finals of the HSBC World Match Play championship at Wentworth.

THEIR eyes met as the Irishman walked towards the registration cabin and the American chatted with his caddy in the Mount Juliet courtyard.

TIGER, Davis and the rest are back in Ireland this week, hell-bent on damage limitation after the USA’s humiliation in the Ryder Cup.

He was not at the Ryder Cup and he has yet to figure prominently at a major, but Graeme McDowell is starting to become a real force in European golf.

BERNHARD LANGER arrived back in London with the Ryder Cup last night and then counted himself and Colin Montgomerie out of the running for the captaincy in 2006.

Colin Montgomerie is considering calling time on his Ryder Cup playing career to succeed Bernhard Langer as captain.

THERE were many thrilling moments and matches at Oakland Hills yesterday but few to touch the battle between Davis Love III and Darren Clarke who are such close friends that it seemed as if they were both happy in the end to settle for a half.

PAUL McGINLEY may not be the most talented golfer here at Oakland Hills this week but I doubt if there’s a more committed member of either side.