Austrian Markus Brier admitted he rode his luck at times but still felt he was good value for his one-stroke lead following the opening round at the Volvo China Open.

Damien McGrane overcame a bogey at the first to make a solid start to the defence of his Volvo China Open title as four birdies saw the Irishman move to three under par through 11 holes.

Lee Westwood’s hopes of overtaking Padraig Harrington European number one suffered a massive blow after a terrible start to his third round in the Dunhill Links Championship.

Damien McGrane carded an eagle to soar up the leaderboard and join Richard Finch at the top midway through the second round of the Volvo China Open today.

European Tour rookie Michael Lorenzo-Vera will take a one-stroke lead into the second round of the Volvo China Open after carding a five-under-par 67 today.

GRAEME MCDOWELL has revealed that he hopes to emulate the career of Open champion Pádraig Harrington as he seeks a fourth European Tour title at this week’s Volvo China Open.

Graeme McDowell has revealed that he hopes to emulate the career of Open champion Padraig Harrington as he seeks a fourth European Tour title at this week’s Volvo China Open.

Colin Montgomerie, who has lost only three of his last 22 Ryder Cup games going back 10 years, this afternoon suffered his third defeat in three matches at this week’s Seve Trophy in Ireland.

Colin Montgomerie, who has lost only three of his last 22 Ryder Cup games, this afternoon suffered his third defeat in three matches at this week’s Seve Trophy in Ireland.

Lee Westwood was tied for the lead in the first round of the PGA Championship - but that was not nearly as big a surprise as who he was tied with.

Unbeaten as Ryder Cup partners last year and inseparable on tour for years, Lee Westwood and Darren Clarke went their separate ways on the leaderboard in the first round of the Austrian Open today.

Ryder Cup partners Lee Westwood and Darren Clarke experienced hugely contrasting starts to their first rounds in the Austrian Open this morning.

It may be stretching it a little to compare him to Tiger Woods, but Markus Brier now understands at least some of what the world number one has to cope with.

Spain’s Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano has won the Italian Open at Tolcinsco after a play-off with Austrian Markus Brier.

Spain's Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano has beaten Austrain Markus Brier in a play-off to win the Itailan Open in Milan.

Spain’s Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano and Austrian Markus Brier went into a play-off for the Telecom Italian Open in Milan today.

European Tour officials today took the rare decision to make players play holes twice at the Italian Open in Milan.

Tom Lehman was given further proof today of the current strength in depth of the European Tour.

Graeme McDowell will head into the BMW Asian Open full of confidence after a solid performance saw him claim a tie for second place at the Volvo China Open.

GRAEME McDOWELL was left to rue a number of missed opportunities after finishing runner-up at the Volvo China Open on Sunday, but the Portrush man was still more than satisfied with his return to competitive golf after a five-week lay-off.

Irish golfer Graeme McDowell was left to rue a number of missed opportunities after finishing runner-up at the Volvo China Open on Sunday, despite being the only player to break par for all four rounds.

Markus Brier strolled to victory in the Volvo China Open today by a comfortable five-shot margin from Andrew McLardy, Scott Hend and Ireland's Graeme McDowell at the Shanghai Silport GC.

It was an eventful morning for Britain’s golfers at the French Open with a disqualification and a withdrawal among the problems.

Ryder Cup star Colin Montgomerie flies out to America for this week’s US Open happy with most parts of his game but deeply frustrated with one.

Markus Brier delighted his home crowd with a wire-to-wire victory in the BA-CA Austrian Open for his maiden European Tour title.

A flawless back nine from England’s Simon Dyson kept him in contention to win his second European Tour title at the BA-CA Austrian Open.

English trio Simon Dyson, Gary Emerson and David Griffiths all made significant moves on the second day of the BA-CA Austrian Open to keep the pressure on home favourite Markus Brier.

Home favourite Markus Brier began where he left off yesterday with four birdies in his second round to move to 10 under in the BA-CA Austrian Open.

Austrian Markus Brier and Swede Peter Hedblom made early moves through the field in the third round of the Mallorca Classic.

There is a strongly Irish flavour to the leaderboard at the Smurfit European Open at the K Club.

KLM Open leader Gary Emerson packed plenty of incident into the first six holes of his third round as he extended his advantage to two shots in Holland.

Leader Gary Emerson began his third round of the KLM Open in Holland in spectacular style by holing his second shot of the day to open up a three-shot advantage.

Scotsman Raymond Russell’s hopes of topping the leaderboard after the first day of the KLM Open in Holland were dealt a blow after he was overtaken by Austria’s Markus Brier and Dutchman Guido van der Valk.

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

Ireland's Peter Lawrie has fallen back to one over after seven holes in the second round of the Portuguese Open.

ENGLAND'S Neil Cheetham fired three eagles in the space of just seven holes to lie two shots off the lead, held by Austria's Markus Brier, in the Portuguese Open.

PAUL CASEY seems to be quickly getting over the controversy and bitter resentment he has caused with his remarks about Americans, America and Tom Lehman in particular.

AUSTRIAN golf has rarely made the headlines, although those who believe the game isn’t popular there would be well wide of the mark.

Padraig Harrington and Paul McGinley just missed out on the first sub-60 score of their golfing lives today – yet still found themselves only joint leaders with unfancied Austria after the first day of the World Cup in Seville.

Sergio Garcia produced two pieces of magic to claim a share of the lead going into the final round of the Mallorca Classic.

Gary Emerson celebrated the first European Tour win of his 10-year career after overcoming a marathon final day to claim the BMW Russian Open title.

A course record equalling 62 from Markus Brier has set up the chance of a first ever home victory in the Austrian Golf Open at Murhof. He is on 20 under par 196, three shots clear of overnight leader, Gary Birch Jnr, who returned 68, and Kariem Baraka from Germany with 66.

Gregory Havret has won the Italian Open by one shot.

Gregory Havret is pulling away for a two shot lead in the Italian Open.