EUROPEAN captain Bernhard Langer readily admitted that he regarded Pádraig Harrington as one of his key men for the successful defence of the Ryder Cup at Oakland Hills.

ANY of the five European rookies seeking advice from “veteran” Darren Clarke this week will be told to “get to the toilet early before you play on the first day”.

FOLLOWING consultation with David Probyn, tournament director of the PGA European Tour, Tom MacKenzie of the Donald Steel design team and local member Des Smyth, it has been agreed that the Baltray links will play to more than 7,050 yards with a par of 72 for next July’s Nissan Irish Open.

ENGLAND’S Carl Mason upstaged both Jack Nicklaus and Tom Watson when he carded a six-under-par 64 to claim a one-shot lead at the end of the second round of the Senior British Open at Turnberry yesterday.

FIVE years after he bogeyed the 18th at Woodbrook to forfeit the lead and eventually lose in a playoff to Clare's Joe McDermott, 58-year-old Australian Noel Ratcliffe at last captured the AIB Irish Seniors Open at blustery Adare Hotel and Golf Resort yesterday.

Eamon Darcy has withdrawn from the AIB Irish Seniors Open at Adare Manor starting on Thursday.

IN spite of his disappointing weekend in the final Benson & Hedges International at The Belfry, Padraig Harrington is back up from 10th to 9th in the world rankings and up to third in the European Tour order of merit.

The Smurfit PGA Irish Region Championship continues its trip around the country with the news that this year's event will be played at the Adare Manor Golf Club in Co Limerick.

IT now looks as if Sam Torrance means it when he says he will not stay on as captain of the European Ryder Cup team at Oakland Hills, Detroit, in 2004.

Defending champion Darren Clarke was more at ease with his game today to card a 67 for one-under with a birdie-eagle finish.

Despite the fact that he had only 27 putts, Padraig Harrington reckoned his score of level-par-72 was a case of missed chances and various 15-footers failed to drop. Two birdies and two bogeys was the story of his opening round.

Padraig Harrington rapidly closed the gap on the leaders today with a solid round of 66 hitting six birdies to move to 10-under for the tournament and just three shots off current leader Niclas Fasth who has played five holes.

As Thomas Bjorn shot to the top of the leaderboard at 11-under-par after their third rounds and Richard Bland carded a 63 to equal the course record and be 10-under, the biggest Irish mover today has been Graeme McDowell who is playing in only his second professional tournament.

Eamon Darcy is winding down on the European Tour but putting in a strong finish as he heads for the Seniors' Tour School in America.

Swede Joakim Haeggman was the surprise early clubhouse leader on the first day of the Murphy’s Irish Open at Fota Island.

Eamon Logue is the surprise overnight leader after the first round in the Smurfit PGA Irish Region Championship at Westport.

Eddie Doyle, from The Heath Golf Club in Co Laois, upstaged the European

Just four strokes cover the leading nine players in the £2.6m Smurfit European Open at the K Club as the final 91 competitors play the last round in wet conditions.

Colin Montgomerie has had two birdies in his first three holes today to move to six under par for the tournament.

Damian McGrane has gone back to one over par for the tournament after a bogey at the 17th.

Damian McGrane remains at level par in the Smurfit European Open as does Eamon Darcy.

Damian McGrane, after reaching the turn at two under par to go one under for the tournament, is now back to level par after 12 holes, having dropped a shot at the tenth.

Wexford club Professional Damian McGrane, who made the cut last night at the European Open at one over par, has picked up two strokes on his way to the turn this morning.

Padraig Harrington has shot a five under par 67 to move to seven under for the tournament at the half-way stage.

Mikael Lundberg, who was joint overnight leader at the Smurfit European Open, is now out on his own at eight under par after 30 holes.

Smurfit European Open latest:

Latest from Smurfit European Open

Irish latest:

There is a tie at the top of the European Open leaderboard with Henrik Bjornstad and Massimo Scarpa both in the clubhouse on - 5 under.

European Open latest - Irish players

BANK OF IRELAND/MASTERCARD IRISH PGA (Southern Branch) CHAMPIONSHIP AT ARKLOE:

Padraig Harrington is five under par after 11 holes, having made four birdies but he also dropped shots on the sixth and eighth holes.

Colin Montgomerie is the halfway leader at ten under after 69 in the second round of the Murphy's Irish Open today.

Overall, it has been a bad day for the Irish at the Murphy's Irish Open at Fota Island.

It has been a bad afternoon for Eamon Darcy as he has gone bogey, bogey, double-bogey from the eleventh hole to fall back to one under par for the tournament after being in among the leaders at the start of the day.

Eamon Darcy has dropped a shot at his third hole in the second day of the Murphy's Irish Open at Fota Island.

Des Smyth is the best placed of the Irish competitors after the second round of the Volvo PGA Championship at Wentworth.

Ireland's Paul McGinley has started well on the first day of the Volvo PGA Championship at Wentworth.

Milltown assistant Francis Howley upstaged the seasoned European Tour pros

Paul McGinley is just three shots of the lead at the Benson and Hedges International Open at the Belfry following a third round 70.

Ireland's Paul McGinley remains in contention at the Benson & Hedges International Open at the Belfry.

Tiger Woods has finished the third round of the Dubai Desert Classic on top under great pressure from Denmark's Thomas Bjorn.

In the latest news from the Dubai desert classic, Paul McGinley is currently best of the Irish on 10 under par after a round of 64.

Ireland's Paul McGinley has picked up seven shots in eleven holes on day two of the Dubai Classic to move to nine under par overall.