World number one Tiger Woods has made a huge statement on the opening day of the JBWere Masters at Kingston Heath, Australia, tearing up the sandbelt course with a six-under 66 to sit level with James Nitties and 21-year-old South African Branden Grace.

THE size of the gallery yesterday at Kingston Heath, Melbourne, was nothing new for Tiger Woods, who also played before some 7,000 people a few days ago in China.

Tiger Woods only played the back nine at Kingston Heath this morning and, afterwards, wasn’t letting on whether that was all he needed or all he could cope with in conditions that were “hot as hell”.

Play has been suspended on day two of the Australian Open at Royal Sydney after heavy rain rendered the Rose Bay layout unplayable.

Three players hold a two-shot lead at the end of an eventful opening day at Royal Sydney after carding course-record equalling seven-under 65s in benign conditions.

Craig Parry loves being referred to as the reigning Australian Open champion - but he expects to lose the title by Sunday.

South Africa’s Tim Clark hit a second-round 70 to retain the lead at the Australian Masters at Huntingdale.

Scott Hend and Tim Clark claimed the clubhouse lead at the 2008 Australian Masters after a violent electrical storm swept across Huntingdale, delaying play for almost three hours.

Ireland’s Padraig Harrington battled foul weather and a wrist injury in defence of his Open title at Royal Birkdale today, but former champion Sandy Lyle quit after just 10 holes.

Ireland’s Padraig Harrington today began the defence of his Open title at Royal Birkdale despite a wrist injury which threatened his participation.

Damp, overcast conditions greeted the early starters in the opening round of the 137th Open Championship at Royal Birkdale today.

Padraig Harrington will start the defence of his Open Championship title alongside 1997 winner Justin Leonard and twice US Open champion Retief Goosen at the Southport links, it was announced today.

Three drivers are involved in a titanic struggle for supremacy in the Ordnance Survey Ireland Rally of the Lakes in Killarney, the third round of the Global Group Irish Tarmac Championship.

An exciting finish to the Circuit of Ireland Rally resulted in a narrow 4.9 second victory for Wexford’s, Eamonn Boland/Damien Morrissey (Subaru WRC) who fended off the challenge of Gareth MacHale/Craig Parry (Ford Focus WRC).

Wexford’s Eamonn Boland and co-driver Damien Morrissey (Subaru WRC) continue to lead after the conclusion of the second leg of the Circuit of Ireland Rally today.

Ronan Rafferty pulled out of the Volvo Masters before his third round at Valderrama today – but it was not likely to cause the same fuss as his walk-out from the 1991 US Open.

Tiger Woods was on the wrong end of a whitewash today in the annual match between the stars of the Isleworth and Lake Nona clubs in Orlando.

Superb rounds of 66 and 69 sent Ewan Porter flying through the Open championship qualifying tournament in his home city Sydney today.

An eagle on the 14th hole enables England’s Justin Rose to take a two-shot lead into the final round of the MasterCard Australian Masters at Huntingdale.

Englishman Nick Dougherty may have fired a brilliant 65 on day one of the co-sanctioned Mastercard Australian Masters at Huntingdale, but it was not good enough for the clubhouse lead with Australian amateur Aaron Pike equalling the course record with an eight-under 64.

Defending champion David Howell is relishing the opportunity to defend his HSBC Champions title when the inaugural tournament gets under way in Shanghai on Thursday.

England’s Paul Casey missed the chance to set a stiff clubhouse target for the rest of the field when the Memorial tournament began at Muirfield Village, Ohio, today.

THE countdown to next month’s Masters at Augusta starts in earnest today as the US Tour kicks off its ‘Florida Swing’ with nine of the world’s top 10 competing in the Ford Championship at Doral.

The countdown to next month’s Masters at Augusta starts in earnest tomorrow as the US Tour kicks off its ‘Florida Swing’ with nine of the world’s top 10 competing in the Ford Championship at Doral.

In what he calls “the start of my mini-season”, Nick Faldo this week plays his first tournament in America since pulling out of the Masters with back trouble last April.

Northern Ireland’s Graeme McDowell faces a match against Tiger Woods after squeezing into the 64-man field for next week’s Accenture world match play championship at La Costa near San Diego.

Englishman Ross Fisher insists he can “go out and get the job done” after climbing into contention at the Johnnie Walker Classic at The Vines in Perth.

Englishmen Paul Casey and Ross Fisher have climbed into contention at the Johnnie Walker Classic at The Vines in Perth as they moved to within five strokes of American leader Kevin Stadler.

Tiger Woods emerged unscathed from his first visit to an Old Course bunker today to lead the Open Championship at St Andrews.

The 134th Open Championship began today at St Andrews with Darren Clarke carrying the main Irish hope in the absence of Padraig Harrington.

Brian McElhinney may have played the Old Course at St Andrews seriously only once but he still believes he can succeed this week.

Charlie Mulqueen

COLIN MONTGOMERIE’S dream of playing in a 14th successive Masters is doomed after officials at Augusta failed to offer him a special invitation for the first major of the year.

Irish golfers Pádraig Harrington and Graeme McDowell have made the cut, but remain well off the pace after the second round of the Honda Classic in Florida.

Phil Mickelson carded a fine six-under-par 66 to lead from Tiger Woods after the third round of the Ford Championship in Florida.

Phil Mickelson carded a bogey-free six-under-par 66 to take the lead after the second round of the Ford Championship in Florida.

Craig Parry returns to defend his Ford Championships title after last year’s dramatic play-off victory.

Ernie Els has been confirmed as the only one of golf’s top 64 players missing the Accenture World Match Play Championship at La Costa near San Diego this week.

As things stand in the world rankings, Darren Clarke will play his compatriot Graeme McDowell in the opening round of the Accenture World Match Play Championship at La Costa near San Diego next Wednesday.

Just one shot separates players at the head of the leaderboard in the Holden New Zealand Open.

GRAEME McDOWELL is travelling across the Pacific Ocean to California for a first serious assault on the US Tour.

Australia’s Craig Parry today defeated compatriot Nick O’Hern in a thrilling play-off to win the Heineken Classic in Melbourne.

Ernie Els kept his hopes of a record-equalling fourth straight Heineken Classic alive today as Colin Montgomerie crashed out of contention.

A rejuvenated Colin Montgomerie today carded a flawless 65 to claim a share of the clubhouse lead in the second round of the €633,000 Heineken Classic.