Northern Ireland’s “Big Three” were battling through heavy rain to try to stay in touch with the leaders of the Irish Open at Royal Portrush today.

It took Darren Clarke just two holes to leap 29 places in the Irish Open at Royal Portrush today – despite the pouring rain.

Padraig Harrington thinks major golf titles are like buses – “when you get one a few more arrive very quickly”.

With apologies to overnight leader Gregory Bourdy, this year’s Irish Open got the shot in the arm it needed when Pádraig Harrington birdied the 17th hole at Royal Portrush yesterday evening.

Padraig Harrington has given himself the chance to once again become the home winner of the Irish Open.

France’s Gregory Bourdy gave the chasing pack – Rory McIlroy and Darren Clarke included – a boost when he failed to build on a brilliant start to his Irish Open second round at Royal Portrush today.

Rory McIlroy was back in the title hunt and Darren Clarke on course to make his first cut of the year – but it was two continentals who were setting the pace on day two of the Irish Open at Royal Portrush.

Rory McIlroy made just the start he was hoping for today after resuming the Irish Open at Royal Portrush down in joint 53rd place.

It was not quite the leaderboard the scriptwriters had in mind for this Irish Open on this most iconic of courses but Ireland’s Fab Four are fired up to make much more of an impression heading into today’s second round.

It was wet, it was windy, but nothing was going to stop fans turning out in huge numbers today for the first Irish Open in Northern Ireland since 1953.

Simon Dyson, the highest-ranked player in the field at 36th in the world, took over at the top in the rain-delayed third round of the Reale Seguros Spanish Open in Seville today.

A flooded course led to the Reale Seguros Spanish Open being suspended in Seville today before overnight leader Gregory Bourdy had teed off for his third round.

A course-record 63 earned Frenchman Gregory Bourdy a one-shot lead at the end of the first round of the Iberdrola Open in Majorca.

Ireland's Darren Clarke is just two shots off the clubhouse leader as he finished his first round in the Iberdrola Open in Majorca today.

RORY McILROY suffered more final-round anguish as Italian teenager Matteo Manassero clinched the Malaysian Open by one shot from Frenchman Gregory Bourdy yesterday.

Rory McIlroy’s pursuit of a first UBS Hong Kong Open title at the third attempt got off to a strong start as the Northern Irishman shot a seven-under 63 in today’s opening round to finish one stroke behind leader Mark Brown.

Rory McIlroy got his bid for a second European Tour win off to the ideal start after firing a seven-under-par 63 to take the clubhouse lead in the first round of the UBS Hong Kong Open.

RORY MCILROY is in pole position to win a Dubai double this season after finishing runner-up for a second consecutive year at the UBS Hong Kong Open.

Gregory Bourdy held off a spirited challenge from new Race to Dubai leader Rory McIlroy to win the UBS Hong Kong Open by two shots today.

Irish golfer Rory McIlroy boosted his Race to Dubai bid by posted a hard-fought 65 heading into the final round of the UBS Hong Kong Open.

David Howell was left with some less happy memories of Oitavos Dunes today as he headed towards an early exit from the Estoril Portuguese Open.

SEVERE winds spoiled Pádraig Harrington’s early round efforts on day one of the Shell Houston Open in Texas last night.

England's Ross McGowan equalled the lowest score of his European Tour career today to lead the Estoril Portuguese Open after the opening round.

From beating Tiger Woods to watching his comeback in an Arizona television studio less than 3 1/2 years later is not quite what David Howell had planned for his career.

France's Gregory Bourdy denied David Howell what would have been an amazing victory on Sunday night, winning the Portuguese Open at the third hole of a play-off at Oitavos Dunes.

England’s David Howell, Scot Alastair Forsyth and Frenchman Gregory Bourdy went into a play-off for the Portuguese Open today after they tied on 18 under par.

France’s Gregory Bourdy went from five ahead to two behind in the space of five holes at the Portuguese Open final round today.

France’s Gregory Bourdy takes a commanding four-stroke lead into the final round of the Portuguese Open at Oitavos Dunes tomorrow.

Thomas Levet is heading to The Masters next week - to commentate, not to play - and it could be with a second successive European Tour victory to his name.

France’s Gregory Bourdy today fired a flawless final round to claim his first European Tour title in the Mallorca Classic.

Holland’s Robert-Jan Derksen and France’s Gregory Bourdy share the lead going into today’s final round of the rain-affected Mallorca Classic.

Tiger Woods needed just six holes to signal his intent to capture a third straight Open Championship at a cold and wet Carnoustie on Thursday.

The Spanish Open in Madrid headed into a marathon last day after another two hours were lost to a thunderstorm this evening.

Darren Clarke’s disappointing season continued today when he missed the cut for the fourth tournament in a row at the Spanish Open in Madrid.

England’s Nick Dougherty grabbed a share of the lead at the Spanish Open in Madrid today, then moved ahead of the pack by one shot.

Ireland's Graeme McDowell and Paul McGinley are tied in eighth place on -2 at the Spanish Open in Madrid.

Jose Manuel Lara topped the leaderboard with a 10 under 130 after the second round of the UBS Hong Kong Open on Friday.

Sweden’s Joakim Backstrom, whose only European Tour victory came in France, found himself leading the French Open early in the first round.

THE European Tour School is an annual end of season exercise that tries the hearts and minds of young and old alike.

JOSE MARIA OLAZABAL took a big leap towards a seventh Ryder Cup cap by ending more than three and a half years without a victory at the Mallorca Classic yesterday.

It is crunch time on the European Tour this week – not to see who wins it, but to determine who stays on it.

Steve Webster made a return to the form which gave him his first European Tour victory in May in his second round at the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles.

A seriously worried Stephen Gallacher became another injury doubt for next week’s US PGA championship today when he followed Colin Montgomerie and David Howell out of the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles.