For Seve Ballesteros, the golf course, in competition, is where he is meant to be. Simon Lewis found him loving his new challenge.

JIM FURYK, one of the gentlemen of the American game, is happy Paul Azinger has been confirmed as the new US Ryder Cup team captain.

Justin Rose missed a magical 59 by one shot as he pulled a 14-foot birdie putt at the final hole of the Palm course, settling for a par and a stellar 12-under-par 60 in the first round of the Funai Classic at Walt Disney World.

DARREN Clarke accepted his eight at the 15th in yesterday’s third round with commendable equanimity, pointing out it’s just the kind of thing that happens at Augusta National. How right he was.

Padraig Harrington insisted he would be trying his hardest at Augusta this afternoon. But the same could not be said of every player at the Masters.

PHIL MICKELSON ended his magical year with golf's magic number. The Masters champion shot a 13-under 59 to win the PGA Grand Slam of Golf, a two-day competition for the year's four major winners.

Ian Poulter has listened to the message of European captain Bernhard Langer and insists there will be no gamesmanship tactics at Oakland Hills.

The longest course in major history – 7,514 yards, no less – has been prepared for this week’s USPGA Championship. It is called Whistling Straits and it should have John Daly licking his lips.

TIGER WOODS, Phil Mickelson and all the other long but wayward hitting golfers have been warned.

BARRY LANE, playing his 499th European tour event and without a win on the circuit for 10 years, stormed to a three-stroke victory in the British Masters at the Forest of Arden yesterday.

The sign-writer, on standby in case of a dramatic feat at the Heineken Classic, was pressed into action yesterday as Ernie Els shredded Royal Melbourne to shoot an historic round of 60.

Ernie Els today shot a remarkable 12-under-par round of 60 to open the defence of his title at the Heineken Classic in superb fashion.

THE Country Club of Rochester, the venue for this week’s US Open Championship, holds a special place in the hearts and minds of Irish golfers.

John Huston and Jeff Maggert grabbed a one-stroke lead after the first round of the Franklin Templeton Shoot-out at Tiburon Golf Club, Naples, Florida.

Barry Lane returned to the scene of the crime today and became The Belfry’s new course record holder.

Barry Lane broke the course record at the new-look Belfry today to give himself the chance of his first win since New Year’s Eve seven years ago.

John Daly and Londoner Anthony Wall wasted no time climbing into a share of the lead in the third round of the Benson and Hedges International Open at The Belfry today.

Barry Lane became a victim of The Belfry’s 18th hole yet again today - but unlike the 1993 Ryder Cup came away smiling this time.

Tiger Woods set off today in a bid to win one of the few big titles to have eluded him so far.

Paul Azinger is back in America’s Ryder Cup team eight years on from the cancer which nearly killed him and two years on from the devastating loss of his close friend Payne Stewart.