When the US Open returns to Pinehurst next week, a few crucial elements will be missing from the last time it was staged there, back in 2005.

Rory McIlroy may have been pleased to see the dark clouds gather over Oak Hill last night, just as a bright start to his PGA Championship defence was getting a little gloomy in upstate New York.

Graeme McDowell’s Major fortunes have gone from bittersweet to bitter over the last two seasons, but the Portrush man will approach the last shot at glory this year happy that his dark horse status could bring a simply sweet conclusion.

Rory McIlroy will launch the defence of his PGA Championship title today confident that his smooth swing can find a way back into his game and march in behind a renewed pep in his step.

Investigators probing an oil train derailment and blaze which killed at least 13 people and wiped out the centre of a small town are focusing on an earlier fire on the same train.

MEET the small boy with the very big swing who’s about to tee off with the best in the world.

WITH Augusta National off limits to all but the select few, it is tempting to think a visit to this corner of Georgia is merely for spectating during Masters week.

Carl Pettersson will take a two-shot advantage over Scott McCarron into the final round of the Wyndham Championship following another benign day at Sedgefield.

DARREN CLARKE out because of his wife’s ongoing battle against cancer, Pádraig Harrington under something of a cloud, also because of the serious illness of his father and coming off the back of missing the cut in the Booz Allen Classic at the weekend.

OAK HILL, the home of the Country Club of Rochester, was good to European golf in 1995 when the visitors somehow pulled off a quite remarkable victory in the Ryder Cup.

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.