Golf: The PGA of Ireland will be represented by Damien Mooney, Brendan McGovern and Michael McDermott at the International Team Championship at the Belek-based Gloria Hotels & Resorts in Turkey from December 8-11.

Shane Lowry’s love affair with Wentworth has been unrequited up to now but the Offaly man heads into today’s third round of the BMW PGA Championship in the best possible position to seal victory.

Defending BMW PGA Championship champion Matteo Manassero believes making this year’s European Ryder Cup team would be an amazing achievement and is hoping the Irish Open will help him achieve the feat.

Pádraig Harrington made a miraculous par at the last to card a second successive 68 and finish his day just two shots behind the clubhouse leaders in the HP Byron Nelson Championship in Texas.

Ruaidhrí McGee and Kevin Phelan are one step away from securing a European Tour card after both qualified from second stage events in Spain.

Donegal’s Ruaidhri McGee is on the verge of progressing through to the final European Tour Qualifying School event next weekend after another superb round at Las Colinas in Spain.

Paul McGinley continues to make it clear that he will be his own man when attempting to mastermind Europe’s Ryder Cup defence at Gleneagles next year.

Ireland took a remarkable 1-2 in the European Tour School’s qualifying phase stage one at Roxburgh Hotel in Scotland yesterday, with Mark Staunton and Peter O’Keeffe occupying the top two spots.

Alan Dunbar bounced back from a poor opening round to equal the course record at Carton House’s Montgomerie layout and leap into contention at the European Amateur Championship.

Gary Hurley and Geoff Lenehan carried their senior interpro-winning form with Munster into the international arena, being the only Irishmen to go under par on the opening day of the European Amateur Championships at Carton House yesterday.

Graeme McDowell and Pádraig Harrington, 2nd and 4th in the US Open, spearhead the home challenge in next week’s Irish Open at Royal Portrush.

THREE major champions will be among the 27 home golfers taking part in the Irish Open Championship at Killarney from July 28 to 31.

Thomas O’Flynn pro golfer; Danny Nickless, Operations Manager, PGA EuroPro Tour and Kevin Morris Director of Golf, Fota Island Resort all set for Audi Cork Irish Masters today in Cork.

PGA EuroPro Tour boss Danny Nickless has thrown down the gauntlet to Ireland’s young professional golfers to make their mark at the Audi Cork Irish Masters this week and take an important step towards life in big-time golf.

TWELVE months ago, Rory McIlroy arrived in Dubai leading the Euro-pean Tour order of merit but was caught on the line by the fast finishing Lee Westwood.

NOW that Ireland is providing two of the three vice captains to the European Ryder Cup cause, and possibly three players to the team itself, this must be regarded as the golden era for golf in this country.

AUSTRALIAN Brett Rumford, the winner when the event was previously staged at Baltray in 2004, and newly crowned Spanish Open champion Thomas Levet, are among the latest entries for the 3 Irish Open starting at the Co Louth links on Thursday week, May 14.

TRAVEL companies have reported a steady number of new year holiday bookings despite the financial burden facing consumers.

Dutch police are investigating the fatal stabbing of a 26-year-old Co Kilkenny man in Amsterdam over the weekend.

MICHAEL CAMPBELL genuinely believed he’d be ready when it came to tee-off time, but he was sadly mistaken.

SEVERAL Irish golfers, notably Belfast man Michael Hoey, are disappointed at being passed over for invitations into this week’s Smurfit European Open at The K Club.

TOUR operators predict chaos at Dublin Airport next weekend if delays caused by a security clampdown continue on into the summer holiday season which starts next weekend.

Niall Murray, Education Correspondent

Peter Lawrie is the best of the Irish going into the final round of the Nissan Irish Open at Portmarnock.

Damien Mooney put his psychology skills to the test at Bundoran today and came up trumps.

FALCON/JWT are to be commended for committing themselves to a major investment in the southwest.

THE first-ever continental charter airline to establish a base in Cork is to service all the top European sunspots from early next summer.

TENS of thousands of people fed up with the never-ending miserable summer are already booking their holiday in the sun for next year.