After leaving new sponsor Nike and banking giant HSBC as red faced as his new driver, what Rory McIlroy needs more now than a planned four-week break is more competition.

Welshman Jamie Donaldson, the man who recently sent Robert Rock a picture of his US Masters invitation just to wind him up, has now succeeded him as winner of the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship.

The Rugby Football Union has begged the southern hemisphere nations to give them a fair deal over Home Unions’ contribution to Lions tours.