Olivia Mehaffey defied a stiff southerly wind to give the girls in green a shot at a medal in the World Amateur Team Championships at a wind-blown Carton House.

Ireland are confident they can build on their breakthrough bronze medal performance in the World Amateur Team Championship two years ago and make the podium again in the Espirito Santo Trophy at Carton House this week.

High expectations are part and parcel of elite sport but the trio of women seeking gold for Ireland in this week’s World Amateur Team Championships have taken steps to beat the pressure.

Peter O’Keeffe can become the first man since Pádraig Harrington to complete a famous double after he saw off Kinsale’s John Murphy to reach the last 16 of the AIG Irish Amateur Close at the European Club.

Rory McIlroy insisted he can't afford to shoot himself in the foot again after he squandered a great start and ended the opening day five shots behind leaders Kevin Kisner and Thorbjorn Olesen in the US PGA, writes Brian Keogh.

Here's your lunchtime news bulletin.

On a day when Jordan Spieth got that sinking feeling again, Brian Keogh examines the major talking points...

He was leading the US Open but Shane Lowry might as well have been chatting over the garden gate to a neighbour as he headed done the par-five 12th at Oakmont with a one-shot lead.

Pádraig Harrington is no longer searching for ‘the secret’ in the autumn of a glorious career, but he remains just a little bitter nobody told him where his ball was at St Andrews this year, writes Brian Keogh.

The final stage of the European Tour Q-School tees off at PGA Catalunya on Saturday. Around 25 players will emerge smiling at the end of the six-round ordeal but, for the rest, it’s a picture perfect autumn postcard that hides no end of pain and suffering, writes Brian Keogh.

Brian Keogh takes a closer look at the world of caddies, the few who’ve made millions and the vast majority who live the jet-set lifestyle without the money, or the jet. 

When Pádraig Harrington was preparing to chase his third Open victory in a row at Turnberry and his fourth major in the space of two years, he reflected on what it meant to be great, or special, writes Brian Keogh.

The European Tour heads to the sunny Algarve next week, but with an end of season chill now in the air, we asked four golf writers to review 2014, from McIlroy’s Majors to McGinley’s Ryder Cup — and everything else in between.

It’s tea cups, cosies and all sorts of blooming things for Esther N McCarthy this week.

There’s nothing inhabitants of 19th holes across Ireland like more than a sporting debate and they, among others, will think Brian Keogh’s recently compiled list of the top 100 Irish amateur men is manna from heaven.

Three months after five homes were cut off by flooding, residents in Ballycar in Co Clare can again drive into their own driveways.

The front garden of one of a number of homes cut off by flood waters for more than a month, has been designated an emergency landing site in the event of a local resident needing to be airlifted to hospital.

Fond emotions translate to good deeds in this week’s collection from Esther N McCarthy who also throws in a little something for caffeine addicts, amongst others

The Irish Open will be played just a week after next year’s US Open at Pinehurst with US-based Rory McIlroy and Graeme McDowell already guaranteed as the star attractions.

The age old adage that you should be careful what you wish for is certainly holding true for Darren Clarke, just eight months after what was described as an “unseemly” politicking for the Ryder Cup captaincy.

From cribs to coffee, arty greeting cards to classic fabrics — it’s all here this week in Esther N McCarthy’s shopping basket.

From Brian Keogh at Merion, Pennsylvania

If there’s an exact science to producing a conveyor belt of golfing talent, it’s yet to be discovered.

The demise of the golf membership entrance fee in Ireland has become a reality as we head into 2013, writes Brian Keogh

THE head of the Department of Enterprise has denied burying a critical report into an alleged €167 million Fás “slush” fund for employers.

Europe will win a fourth straight Ryder Cup at Valhalla – but by nothing like the nine-point winning margins experienced in the last two contests.

CONSTRUCTION giant John Sisk & Son saw its pre-tax profits rise by almost 17% last year.

GERMAN energy giant RWE yesterday took its first step into the Irish electricity market when it signed contracts for gas supply and plant operation at the proposed independent power station at Tynagh, Co Galway.