A lot of athletes lose a yard of pace as they grow older, ageing golfers lose some distance off the tee but former Irish Open champion Brett Rumford returns to the tournament he won 11 years ago missing a foot of intestine.

Shane Lowry might be chasing a $1.25m (€1m) pay day in Sun City this week but he’s already feeling like a winner after breaking into the world’s Top 50 and getting engaged.

Jordan Spieth smashed the course record in Sydney to claim the Australian Open, while Rory McIlroy finished on two over.

Rory McIlroy’s hopes of retaining his Australian Open title look to have sunk without trace after a woeful third round left him well adrift of the leading pack.

Four Irish amateurs will tee it up at Fota Island today and while they all dream of following in the footsteps of fairytale 2009 champion Shane Lowry, they’re just thrilled to have a chance to rub shoulders with Rory McIlroy and some of the best players in the world.

Rory McIlroy was determined to not let his Honda Classic meltdown “derail” his hot start to the season at a wet and windy Trump National Doral.

It was like a final insult in what was Rory McIlroy’s final event as the defending European No. 1 — being asked to tape a TV piece congratulating Henrik Stenson on succeeding him in winning the Race to Dubai.

Two years after a five-man, five-hole play-off was necessary to decide the Johnnie Walker Championship, extra holes again looked on the cards midway through the final round at Gleneagles.

Ryder Cup captain Paul McGinley will consult his potential team members on course set-up after 80 players broke par in the opening round of the Johnnie Walker Championship.

Michael Quirke (Doneraile) is the Irish Seniors Amateur Open champion after winning a three-hole play-off with American Bev Hargraves, whose final round 72 closed what had began as a four-shot gap.

Even though the country’s four Major champions, Pádraig Harrington, Graeme McDowell, Darren Clarke and Rory McIlroy — along with 2009 champion Shane Lowry — are in the field, the Irish Open at Carton House on June 27 continues without a title sponsor this year.

Nicolas Colsaerts will defend his Volvo World Match Play Championship title as the European Tour breaks new ground in Bulgaria this week, but only after his father arrives on a hastily-chartered private jet with his clubs.

Australia’s Brett Rumford made the most of a massive reprieve to win his fourth European Tour title in the Ballantine’s Championship in South Korea.

The European Tour’s £6m season-ending event began on time despite a torrential overnight storm in Dubai today – but it was over for Ireland’s Shane Lowry.

It is extremely rare for Rory McIlroy’s caddy to walk into the scorer’s hut on the first day of any tournament enquiring of the cut-off mark.

The ‘Rory McIlroy effect’ continued with Scotland’s Paul Lawrie delivering the European Ryder Cup team its third victory in as many weeks.

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.

More than five years on from his last win Colin Montgomerie forced his way onto the leaderboard in the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles today.

Despite an impressive first round 64, Jose Maria Olazabal declared Pádraig Harrington has to “at least win” the Barclays Championship to be even considered for a Ryder Cup wildcard pick.

ENGLAND’S Lee Slattery survived a jittery final hole to claim his maiden win on the European Tour at the Bankia Madrid Masters yesterday.

England's Lee Slattery survived a jittery final hole to claim his maiden win on the European Tour at the Bankia Madrid Masters 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.

THREE major champions will be among the 27 home golfers taking part in the Irish Open Championship at Killarney from July 28 to 31.

Spain’s Miguel Angel Jimenez moved into a share of the lead with Australian Brett Rumford after a strong start to his third round of the Ballantine’s Championship in Seoul today.

IRELAND’S Damien McGrane, the overnight leader on 66, could not come close to matching that yesterday, with three bogeys leaving him with a 72 at the Ballantine’s Championship in Seoul.

Rory McIlroy gave a clear demonstration today that his Masters heartache would not hang over him as he fired an eight-under-par round of 64 to join Alexander Noren at the top of the leaderboard at the Maybank Malaysia Open.

RORY MCILROY is confident of a second wire-to-wire victory even if it means an eventual Omega Dubai Desert Classic final day showdown with Tiger Woods.

Edoardo Molinari won a dramatic Johnnie Walker Championship with three closing birdies at Gleneagles today – and then an hour later was jumping with joy again when he learnt that it had earned him a Ryder Cup wild card.

Edoardo Molinari won a dramatic Johnnie Walker Championship with three closing birdies at Gleneagles today – and then waited to see if it had earned him a Ryder Cup wild card.

Spain’s Miguel Angel Jimenez and Swede Peter Hanson clinched the last automatic spots in Europe’s Ryder Cup side when they did what they had to do at Gleneagles today.

England’s Ross Fisher missed a golden chance to score the European Tour’s first-ever 59 in the 3 Irish Open at Killarney today.

England’s Ross Fisher burst into the lead at the 3 Irish Open with a dazzling six successive birdies in Killarney today.

It was quickly all change at the top when the 3 Irish Open resumed in Killarney today – overnight leader David Howell double-bogeyed the first hole and 2004 winner Brett Rumford birdied the first two to take over.

SWEDE Richard Johnson sank a 30-foot birdie putt on the finalgreen to become only the second home winner of the Scandinavian Masters in the last 12 years.

Swede Richard Johnson became only the second home winner of the Scandinavian Masters in the last 12 years today – thanks to a closing 30-foot birdie putt.

GARETH MAYBIN has wrapped up his Tour card early for a second year running after finishing joint second in the Ballantine’s Championship in Korea.

Australia’s Marcus Fraser won the Ballantine’s Championship today by four shots as a battling three-under-par 69 final round secured a wire-to-wire win and first victory in seven years.

Australia’s Marcus Fraser remained on course for a wire-to-wire victory at the weather-affected Ballantine’s Championship after securing a one shot advantage over defending champion Thongchai Jaidee, Gareth Maybin and Tano Goya heading into tomorrow’s third and final round.

Australia’s Marcus Fraser carded a second-round 70 to maintain a one-shot lead at the weather-affected Ballantine’s Championship on a bright but windy third day at Pinx Golf Club.

PÁDRAIG HARRINGTON will make his first appearance in the European Tour’s flagship BMW PGA Championship for three years at Wentworth from May 20-23.

Dane Soren Hansen and Angelo Que headed a seven-way tie at the top of the Maybank Malaysian Open leaderboard when play was suspended during today’s second round due to lightning.

Consistent Dane Soren Hansen joined Angelo Que in a share of the clubhouse lead midway through the second round of the Maybank Malaysian Open at Kuala Lumpur Golf & Country Club.

Dane Anders Hansen set a strong early pace on a blustery opening morning of the Dubai Desert Classic at the Emirates Golf Club.

PETER LAWRIE secured his first top 10 finish of the new season, as he finished ninth behind Sweden’s Robert Karlsson who captured his first victory in 14 months with success in the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters.