CONNEMARA’S David Mortimer etched his place in the history books when he holed a monster 40-foot eagle putt on the last to win the Ladbrokes.com PGA Irish Championship by a stroke from European Tour star Damien McGrane.

SHANE LOWRY is hoping to join a very exclusive club and boost his chances of finishing the Race to Dubai on a high when he makes his debut in the 100th edition of the Ladbrokes.com sponsored Irish PGA at Seapoint today.

Sweden's Magnus A Carlsson took a giant step towards European Tour promotion thanks to his one-stroke win in the Challenge of Ireland at the Glasson Hotel and Country Club near Athlone.

WHAT a difference a week makes. Seven days ago, 28-year-old Colm Moriarty from Athlone was relying on invitations to Challenge Tour events as he attempted to get his career back on track after a dismal 2006 season.

The US team for this week's Ryder Cup has arrived in Ireland today to prepare for the K Club showdown.

IRELAND will have five players competing in this week’s European Tour School at San Roque in the south of Spain.

EAMONN BRADY, a former West of Ireland champion and a nephew of the celebrated Arsenal and Ireland footballer Liam Brady, represents Ireland’s best chance of reaching the European Tour School at San Roque next week as the field goes into the final round of the second pre-qualifier at Costa Ballena near Cadiz today.

FORMER Walker Cup player Noel Fox, fellow Dubliner Eamonn Brady and David Mortimer, the Galway-born Newlands club professional, battled back into contention for places in the European Tour School at San Roque next week with excellent rounds in yesterday’s second day of pre-qualifying at the Costa Ballena course near Cadiz in the south of Spain.

THE second stage of the European Tour’s qualifying school takes place this week in Spain with 252 players competing. Matches will be played at three venues for a place at next week’s six round final stage, where the top 30 players (plus ties) will win a place on the 2006 European Tour.

IRELAND will have a minimum of ten players on next season’s European Tour.

WITH Seve Ballesteros playing his first stroke play tournament in two years and Colin Montgomerie bidding to improve his number one position in the European Tour, this week’s Madrid Open assumes more interest.

EIGHT Irish golfers came through the first qualifying stage of the European Tour Qualifying School over the St Annes Old Links in Lancashire yesterday.

IRISH golfers involved at St Anne’s Old Links, Lancashire, yesterday played themselves into excellent positions to progress to the second qualifier for the European Tour.

AS Paul McGinley and co play for the £1 million first prize in the HSBC World Match Play Championship at Wentworth, other matters are taxing the minds of hundreds of hopefuls all over Europe.

THE DONALD Steel-designed Lackabane course at Killarney hosts the first European Challenge Tour event in the Republic of Ireland over the next four days with the arrival of the Ireland Ryder Cup Challenge.

Caroline Aherne is working on a new BBC2 sitcom set in the UK.

BARRY REDDAN is set to become the oldest winner of the Shell-sponsored South of Ireland Championship.