Not for the first time at the Ryder Cup Colin Montgomerie has expressed surprise at a decision by his opposite number Corey Pavin.

COLIN MONTGOMERIE insists he is “delighted” that Tiger Woods will be on the American side defending the Ryder Cup at Celtic Manor in Wales on October 1-3.

Colin Montgomerie insists he is “delighted” that Tiger Woods will be on the American side defending the Ryder Cup at Celtic Manor in Wales on October 1-3.

COREY PAVIN, the US Ryder Cup captain, today announces his four wild cards for Celtic Manor next month well satisfied with the form of most of those who have already qualified were performing in the Deutsche Bank Championship in Boston over the weekend.

THE Ryder Cup selection of the Molinari brothers, Francesco and Edoardo, is the latest chapter in the incredible development of Italian golf.

Former champion John Daly rolled back the years today with a brilliant start to lead the 139th Open Championship at St Andrews.

Five years after beating Tiger Woods down the stretch to become US Open champion New Zealand’s Michael Campbell finds himself in a very different battle in Scotland tomorrow.

IRELAND’S Colm Moriarty, who topped the Saint-Omer Open leaderboard alongside Martin Wiegele overnight, hit a disappointing two-over-par 73 to finish in joint sixth, three shots adrift of England’s Robert Dinwiddie in France yesterday.

BROTHERS Francesco and Edoardo Molinari savoured a sweet victory after guiding Italy to an historic first World Cup title following a tense three-way final round battle with Ireland and Sweden.

BALLYBUNION is rarely visited by a north-easterly wind gusting to over 20 miles per hour but when it happens, the famous golf links becomes a seriously testing challenge.

ALTHOUGH he probably knows the great Kerry links better than every other player in the field, Denis O’Sullivan makes his first competitive appearance at Ballybunion since 1991 when he takes part in the AIB Irish Seniors Open which begins this morning.

BALLYBUNION, one of the world’s finest links courses, will be the ideal home to the 13th AIB Irish Seniors Open which begins on Friday.

RORY McILROY has returned to 16th in the world rankings after finishing fifth in the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth on Sunday.

Michael McGeady was tied for fifth as the first round of the Madeira Island Open BPI-Portugal was underway on Porto Santo today, two under after 14 behind Sweden’s Joakim Haeggman in the top spot.

German Marcel Siem, a World Cup winner alongside Bernhard Langer three years ago, made a good start today to his bid for just a second European Tour title in more than 180 starts.

LESS than two months ago Michael Campbell stood 417th in the world and it looked as if we might be witnessing the decline and fall of a once great player.

Tiger Woods is out of not just next month's Open, but also the Ryder Cup in September and all golf for the rest of the year.

John Daly still wants to be part of golf’s biggest events – but, as far as he is concerned, this week’s Players Championship in Florida is not one of them.

Robert Karlsson is hoping his decision not to play the Players Championship in Florida – golf’s unofficial fifth major – pays massive dividends for him in Milan this week.

Stewart Ginn leads by two at the AIB Irish Seniors Open at Palmerstown House heading into the final day.

Robert Karlsson has lost to Tiger Woods by 3&2 in Sunday singles on day three at the K Club.

Paul Casey produced the greatest finish to any Ryder Cup game in history today - with a hole-in-one.

They are the two biggest names in golf, winners of seven of the last 12 major championships.

Michael Campbell loves the British Open so much he wishes there were about 26 tournaments played on links courses during the year rather than just two or three.

Michael Campbell returned to the scene of his major near-miss 10 years ago and warned his rivals he would not make the same mistake twice.

Ryder Cup player Costantino Rocca was disqualified from the Smurfit European Open today for missing his tee-off time – the day after American cup captain Tom Lehman received a two-stroke penalty for being a few seconds late.

It was always going to need something pretty special to knock the All Blacks out of the headlines in New Zealand this week – but Michael Campbell has done it.

FOR the first time since that memorable week at Oakland Hills last month, the 12-man European Ryder Cup team comes together for the season-ending Volvo Masters at Valderrama on Thursday.

PHIL MICKELSON may be the Masters champion and one of the most talented golfers of all time - but he still can't beat his wife Amy at Ping-Pong!

Justin Rose looked to have made a good decision the way he started the Smurfit European Open today.

Ian Woosnam restored some of his battered pride after going back on his promise to return to a short putter in the first round of the Celtic Manor Wales Open today.

Mark Roe returned to the putter which almost brought him British Open championship glory to claim a share of the lead in the Italian Open today.

Michael Campbell bounced back from his US Masters disappointment to claim a share of the lead in the Italian Open in Milan today.

Bernhard Langer and Colin Montgomerie were left with some unfinished business when their play-off was halted by fading light in the Volvo Masters at Valderrama last year and they agreed to share the title.

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.

New Zealander Michael Campbell came out of the golfing wilderness with a play-off win in the Nissan Irish Open at Portmarnock tonight.

Thomas Bjorn shares the lead with Michael Campbell and David Lynn going into the final round of the Nissan Open at Portmarnock.

Four days after losing the Open championship from three ahead with four to play, Thomas Bjorn took the lead in the Nissan Irish Open today – by holing a bunker shot of all things.

IRELAND will have four contenders in the Open Championship starting at Royal St George’s, Sandwich, Kent, on Thursday.

England’s Greg Owen won the Daily Telegraph Damovo British Masters at the Forest of Arden today – after no fewer than 21 top-10 finishes on the European tour without a victory.

It is not difficult to spot which Ryder Cup star has been enjoying himself most back at The Belfry so far this week.

Australian Peter O’Malley equalled the course record to set the clubhouse target in the first round of the Italian Open today.

Ireland's Gary Murphy continues to be tied for seventh place at the Italian Open today.