Ireland’s Pádraig Harrington and Graeme McDowell are within striking distance at the halfway stage of the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open at Castle Stuart.

Rory McIlroy has targeted a summer of success after producing a stunning finish to win the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open for the first time at The K Club.

An emotional Rory McIlroy said donating his €666,000 winner’s prize to charities made his first Dubai Duty Free Irish Open victory even more special.

From a childhood dream sparked in the skies over Portmarnock, Rory McIlroy was back in the clouds last night as it came to realisation with a first Dubai Duty Free Irish Open victory.

David Horsey opened up a three-shot lead at the Made in Denmark tournament after shooting a four-under-par second-round 67 in Farso.

Cheshire’s David Horsey shot a course record 63 to claim the first-round lead at the Made in Denmark tournament in Farso at Himmerland Golf & Spa Resort.

With Graeme McDowell hoping to enjoy the excitement later today of becoming a new father, he’s shown enormous sportsmanship in wishing Stephen Gallacher well in qualifying for the European Ryder Cup team.

Jamie Donaldson has booked his place in the European team at this year’s Ryder Cup after winning the D+D REAL Czech Masters by two shots.

Scotland’s Marc Warren, who credits his recent good form to a new Callaway driver, ruled himself out of the reckoning for a Ryder Cup wild card despite claiming his first European Tour title for seven years at the inaugural Made in Denmark event yesterday.

Denmark’s Thomas Bjorn overcame testing conditions and an encounter with overhead power lines to make the perfect start to his bid to seal a Ryder Cup place on home soil.

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.

The list of illustrious casualties was of no comfort to Ballymena’s Chris Devlin as he limped away from the European Tour Qualifying School facing an uncertain future after a devastating quadruple bogey eight wrecked his tour dream.

Five Irish golfers, Waterville’s David Higgins, Ulstermen Chris Devlin and Gareth Shaw, Dubliner Niall Kearney and Yorkshire-born Simon Thornton, will be among a group of 150 hopefuls seeking 25 places on the 2013 European Tour when the final Tour School takes place over six days at the Catalunya complex near Barcelona beginning next Saturday.

Graeme McDowell and Padraig Harrington, Europe’s top two performers at the recent US Open, had to contend with heavy rain as Royal Portrush staged the first Irish Open north of the border since 1953 today.

PAUL CUTLER crashed out of the first stage of the European Tour Qualifying dream last night after a thoroughly disappointing few days at Frilford Heath in Oxfordshire.

IT really doesn’t get much better than this.

Henrik Stenson bogeyed his last two holes but still led the BMW International Open at the midway point in the second round in Munich today.

Henrik Stenson gave encouragement to the chasing pack with a slow start to his second round at the BMW International Open in Munich today.

Luke Donald was paid a huge compliment by Colin Montgomerie today after a masterful 64 at windy Wentworth left England’s world number two feeling “a little bit invincible”.

WITHOUT a European Tour win since 2008, Pádraig Harrington’s long wait for a title may be extended after a modest opening 71 left him seven shots off the pace on a day of low scoring at the Volvo China Open.

It was a rough start for some of the big names at the Commercialbank Qatar Masters in Doha today.

The two-stroke penalty imposed on Bradley Dredge at the Czech Open late yesterday did not receive the same headlines as the one given to Dustin Johnson in the US PGA Championship last Sunday.

THIRTEEN players are separated by only two shots at the halfway stage of the Czech Open – and they include two of the men chasing a Ryder Cup place.

South African Louis Oosthuizen today maintained his challenge for a first major title on the second day of the Open Championship at St Andrews.

Rory McIlroy, put himself into golf’s record books with a sensational start to The Open at St Andrews today.

The new US Open champion Graeme McDowell will have to wait until just before 2pm on Thursday when he tees off with two former winners of that title, Jim Furyk and Geoff Ogilvy at the Open in St Andrews.

Darren Clarke could find himself caught up in a family battle as he tries to defend a three-stroke halfway lead at the Barclays Scottish Open today and tomorrow.

Darren Clarke turned in another brilliant performance in foul weather at Loch Lomond today and is in command of the Barclays Scottish Open at the halfway stage.

Darren Clarke, no stranger to playing well in bad weather, did it again at Loch Lomond today and stood four clear of the field after a superb second-round 67 in the Barclays Scottish Open.

Darren Clarke consolidated his lead at the rain-soaked Scottish Open in Loch Lomond today, sparking memories of his 2006 Ryder Cup heroics in similar sodden conditions.

Englishman David Horsey pulled off the unlikeliest of maiden European Tour victories – in Germany of all places – today when he came from five behind to lift the BMW International Open.

Welshman Bradley Dredge, leader since his opening 64 on Thursday, was two in front with nine holes to go at the BMW International Open in Munich.

Bradley Dredge moved a step closer to keeping his Ryder Cup dream alive in Munich today.

IRISH golf is set for a second week of success after Simon Thornton put himself in position for a first Tour victory by moving to 10-under par after two rounds of the BMW International Open in Munich.

Welshman Bradley Dredge leads the BMW International Open in Munich at the halfway stage as star attractions Ernie Els and Sergio Garcia crashed out of the event.

Scotland's Paul Lawrie has stepped up his bid for a first title in eight years today.

Overnight leaders Bradley Dredge and Peter Whiteford found themselves in a four-way tie at the BMW International Open in Munich today.

PETER LAWRIE and Gary Murphy carded respective rounds of 66 and 70 with Lawrie ending the day just two strokes off the lead with a six-under par 66 in the opening round of the BMW International Open yesterday.

Welshman Bradley Dredge and Scot Peter Whiteford took the first day honours at the BMW International Open in Munich with eight under par rounds of 64.

Thomas Bjorn will take a three-shot lead into the final day of the Estoril Open after posting a seven-under-par 65 in his third round in Portugal.

SHANE LOWRY scored a course record-equalling 62 on the Old Course, Sunningdale, to earn himself a place in next month’s British Open at St Andrews yesterday.

CHRIS WOOD, last season’s Rookie of the Year on the European Tour, could be the next uncapped player to throw his hat into the Ryder Cup ring.

Chris Wood, last season’s Rookie of the Year on the European Tour, could be the next uncapped player to throw his hat into the Ryder Cup ring.