England’s John Bickerton, whose third European Tour victory in December came courtesy of an amazing collapse by Ernie Els, was among the early leaders in the Madeira Islands Open at Santo da Serra today.

Defending champion Ernie Els leads a host of big names into the South African Airways Open at Pearl Valley this week, with the world number five looking to bounce back from his final-hole collapse four days ago.

John Bickerton has described winning the Alfred Dunhill Championship at Malelane yesterday as a “shocker”.

England’s John Bickerton took a shock win in the Alfred Dunhill Championship in South Africa after a final hole horror show by home favourite Ernie Els.

Joost Luiten was the big mover in the Alfred Dunhill Championship with a stunning round of 64 to move onto six under par.

Padraig Harrington today became the eighth member of the European Ryder Cup team – but not in a way that gave him any great pleasure.

Lee Westwood overcame the worst possible start today – not just a double bogey, but a broken driver as well – to keep alive his hopes of clinching a Ryder Cup wild card with his first win for three years.

Swede Peter Hedblom raced into a three-shot lead at the BMW International Open in Munich today – as Lee Westwood wondered what was going to happen to him next.

Lee Westwood climbed off his sick bed today and gave a performance that ought to make every European – not just Ian Woosnam – want him in the Ryder Cup next month.

There was good news for Ireland's Paul McGinley today, as Swede Johan Edfors – possibly needing another victory to make the Ryder Cup side – gave himself a mountain to climb the moment the BMW International Open began in Munich.

Ian Woosnam is keeping his two wild cards close to his chest as the race for places in his Ryder Cup team comes down to the crunch.

There are just four days to go in the 12-month race for places in the European Ryder Cup team and Paul McGinley and Paul Broadhurst are in the heat of the battle going into the BMW International Open in Munich tomorrow.

Ian Woosnam at last knows the first seven of his side to defend the Ryder Cup in three weeks time.

Tiger Woods flew into Ireland with the rest of the American Ryder Cup team today with yet another win to his name – and with a big sigh of relief.

England’s John Bickerton survived a late wobble to win the £458,000 (€662,000) first prize at the French Open after holding off New Zealand’s Michael Campbell and Ireland’s Padraig Harrington.

New Zealander Michael Campbell closed the two-shot gap between himself and long-time French Open leader John Bickerton to leave the pair locked together at 10 under with seven holes to play of the third round.

John Bickerton retained his place at the top of the leaderboard after the second round of the French Open.

First-round leader John Bickerton maintained his position at the head of the French Open field but he came under pressure from Scotsman Gary Orr who made a superb charge earlier in the day.

Scotland’s Gary Orr led the challenge to overtake the French Open’s first-round leader John Bickerton after moving to within two shots of top spot.

England’s John Bickerton has revealed that a flash of inspiration on the putting green contributed to his holding the lead after the first round of the French Open.

England’s John Bickerton fell just one short of equalling the course record as he posted an eight-under-par 63 to lead the French Open by two strokes.

The Americans shocked at The Belfry four years ago by the intensity with which Niclas Fasth plays his golf should prepare themselves for another dose this September.

Swede Niclas Fasth won the Spanish Open at San Roque today – after doing his best to lose it.

Spanish Open play-off opponents Bickerton and Fasth still could not be separated after playing the 18th three more times.

England’s John Bickerton, eight behind at the start of the day, and Swede Niclas Fasth went into a play-off for the Spanish Open title at San Roque today.

Just a week after England’s John Bickerton won his first European Tour title at the 287th attempt, Frenchman Raphael Jacquelin is poised to make it 238th time lucky.

France’s Raphael Jacquelin stretched his lead to five strokes with two early birdies in the third round of the Madrid Open today.

ENGLAND'S John Bickerton saved his European Tour career in the best possible fashion yesterday, winning his first title at the 287th attempt.

John Bickerton and Stuart Little, who have played 430 European tour events between them without winning once, are first and second going into the final round of the Abama Canaries Open in Tenerife.

Left-hander Stuart Little moved closer to a first European tour title at the Abama Canaries Open in Tenerife today.

Six years after he thought his European Tour career was over, England’s Stuart Little has the chance this weekend to put the icing on easily the best season of his golfing life.

IRISH golf fans are in for a real treat at Carton House today when the Nissan Irish Open hots up.

Wales’ Kyron Sullivan will take a one-shot lead into the delayed third round of the Madeira Island Open this afternoon.

A rare albatross gave Scotland’s Andrew Coltart a chance to make an equally rare halfway cut in the Madeira Island Open today.

2003 rookie of the year Peter Lawrie is five from the top att he Celtic Manor Wales Open on nine under par.

Home favourite Thomas Bjorn is having a bad run at the Nordic Open.

British Open championship-winning caddie Andy Sutton admits his head is ‘still in the clouds’ as he returns to work for John Bickerton in the Nissan Irish Open today.

FORMER Open champion Paul Lawrie, who lost out in a play-off last year, went one better with a commanding victory in the weather-disrupted Celtic Manor Resort Wales Open today.

Former Open champion Paul Lawrie will have to play 36 holes tomorrow in his quest for a fifth European Tour title in the weather-delayed Celtic Manor Resort Wales Open.

Former Open champion Paul Lawrie equalled the course record to claim a two-shot lead in the weather-delayed Celtic Manor Resort Wales Open.

Philip Walton is best of the Irish after the third round of the Madeira Island Open. He is on five under par.

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Ernie Els fired a sensational eagle on the final hole to lie just one shot off the lead at the halfway stage of the Dubai Desert Classic.

Colin Montgomerie was in severe danger of missing the halfway cut in the Dubai Desert Classic today.