One of the biggest stars of Irish golf, Christy O’Connor Jnr, has been remembered as a gentleman and sporting inspiration after he died on holiday in Tenerife.

The death yesterday of Christy O’Connor Junior, one our most beloved golfers, brought to mind the shot heard round the world — but the Galway man was about much more than a two-iron at The Belfry. Junior carried his talents lightly and charmed everyone he met, writes Charlie Mulqueen.

Darren Clarke joins an elite club of just 25 members to have competed in 500 European Tour events when he tees up in this week’s Commercial Bank Qatar Masters.

Damien McGrane might not have won the KLM Open on Sunday but his professional trajectory continues to be an example to Ireland’s budding tour stars — the poster boy for those who bite the bullet and take the PGA assistants’ route to the top.

You can never say never in golf.

Ryder Cup legend Christy O’Connor Junior last night claimed a failure to appoint Paul McGinley as Europe’s 2014 captain would be “an absolute disgrace.”

Christy O’Connor Jr today oversees the official re-launch of the Galway Bay Golf Resort, keen to showcase the way his creation is bucking a miserable economic trend for the clubs in this country.

RAY McMANUS doesn’t dispute Seve Ballesteros and himself once exchanged some swords on Portmarnock GC but suggests the tale might have been embellished.

THE formal ratification of Jose-Maria Olazabal as captain of the European Ryder Cup team at Medinah next year takes place shortly after lunch today.

GRAEME McDOWELL added his name to an already illustrious list of Irish Ryder Cup heroes as the Portrush man held his nerve to ensure a dramatic victory for Europe at Celtic Manor in Wales.

Graeme McDowell won the Ryder Cup for Europe after a Celtic Manor classic that crowned captain Colin Montgomerie's golfing career.

IRELAND’S Colm Moriarty, who topped the Saint-Omer Open leaderboard alongside Martin Wiegele overnight, hit a disappointing two-over-par 73 to finish in joint sixth, three shots adrift of England’s Robert Dinwiddie in France yesterday.

IN a disappointing tournament for Irish players, Marc Farry became the fifth first-time winner on the European Senior Tour in 2010 when he held off a spirited challenge from Ross Drummond to win the Handa Irish Senior Open presented by Fáilte Ireland.

TWO-TIME Major champion Sandy Lyle closed with a superb eagle for an opening round 66 to set the pace in the Handa Irish Senior Open presented by Fáilte Ireland, as he chases his maiden European Senior Tour title.

JUST when it appeared the Irish Seniors Open would fall by the wayside after the withdrawal of AIB’s long-standing sponsorship, support for the event at Carton House next weekend came from an unusual quarter.

IT has been another good year on the European Seniors Tour for Ireland’s Denis O’Sullivan.

ONE of the mysteries surrounding British & Irish and European Ryder Cup teams is that this country hasnever been honoured with the captaincy.

HISTORY repeated itself in extraordinary fashion last night as England’s Simon Dyson won the KLM Open in Holland for the second time in four years – squeezing out Ireland’s Peter Lawrie.

BALLYBUNION is rarely visited by a north-easterly wind gusting to over 20 miles per hour but when it happens, the famous golf links becomes a seriously testing challenge.

ALTHOUGH he probably knows the great Kerry links better than every other player in the field, Denis O’Sullivan makes his first competitive appearance at Ballybunion since 1991 when he takes part in the AIB Irish Seniors Open which begins this morning.

BALLYBUNION, one of the world’s finest links courses, will be the ideal home to the 13th AIB Irish Seniors Open which begins on Friday.

FORMER Ryder Cup players Eamonn Darcy and Des Smyth will hope to follow the example of Shane Lowry and provide a home winner when the pair tee up in the Irish Seniors Open in association with Fálite Ireland and AIB Bank next week.

RORY McILROY has returned to 16th in the world rankings after finishing fifth in the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth on Sunday.

CONSIDERING his ongoing tendency to run up large numbers at one or more holes in almost every event he contests, Pádraig Harrington can hardly be looking forward to the Tournament Players Championship at the water-strewn Sawgrass course in Jacksonville, Florida.

IAN WOOSNAM’S affinity for eastern Europe this year continued after the Welshman fired a six under par round of 65 to lead after the first round of the inaugural Casa Serena Open in the Czech Republic.

Sweden's Martin Erlandsson equalled the lowest round ever seen at The Belfry today - long after most of the crowd had gone home.

Stewart Ginn leads by two at the AIB Irish Seniors Open at Palmerstown House heading into the final day.

More than 120 amateur golfers, including Eddie Jordan, Barry McGuigan, Keith Wood, Ronan Keating, DJ Carey and Mick Fitzgerald, will play in the children’s cancer charity CLIC Sargent Golf Open at Slieve Russell Hotel Golf and Country Club, in Co Cavan on Monday October 2.

FOR a game normally played with the silence of a library, the Ryder Cup yesterday went loud.

The European Ryder Cup table has been adjusted two days after the finish of the US PGA championship following the realisation that money earned by players who missed the cut last Friday counts and should have been added.

Pádraig Harrington did not hesitate when the inevitable question was asked: Is the Irish Open the title you would most like to win on the European Tour? In one word came a very definite response: YES.

THE 10th anniversary edition of the AIB Irish Seniors Open, in association with Greenstar and Fáilte Ireland, will be marked in grand style with a record prize fund, a glorious new venue and a five-star field littered with former Ryder Cup players.

Four new stamps celebrating the contribution of Irish golfers to the Ryder Cup were launched today ahead of Ireland hosting the event next year.

HAVING ousted the holders Enniscrone in Thursday’s semi-final, Moate overcame Newcastle West by three and a half matches to one and a half to capture the BMW sponsored Irish Mixed Foursomes at Monkstown Golf Club yesterday.

Sam Torrance and Carl Mason both carded two under par rounds of 70 to maintain their lead after the second round of the De Vere PGA Seniors Championship at De Vere Carden Park.

EAMONN DARCY has his sights set on the second richest prize in European Seniors Tour golf when he tees up in the Ryder Cup Wales Seniors Open which starts at the Royal St David’s GC in Harlech this morning.

CARL MASON claimed his 10th European Seniors Tour title when he carded a closing three-under-par 69 to win the De Vere Northumberland Seniors Classic over the Priestman course at Slaley Hall.

Englishman Carl Mason carded a course-record nine under par 63 to take a five-stroke lead in the Northumberland Seniors Classic at Slaley Hall.

CORK’S Denis O’Sullivan embarked on his quest for a seventh title on the European Seniors Tour at Collingtree Park in Northampton yesterday.

Australian Noel Ratliffe has won the AIB Irish Seniors Open at The Heritage, Killenard, on a score of six under par.

GOOD enough to stage any event — even the Ryder Cup. That was Sam Torrance’s considered view about the Seve Ballesteros designed Heritage course yesterday, after he opened the AIB Irish Seniors Open with a four under par 68 in blustery and often showery conditions.

Charlie Mulqueen, The Heritage

EAMONN DARCY missed out on his first European Seniors Tour title in the most dramatic fashion yesterday.

Ireland’s Eamonn Darcy saw his solid two under par start to the Jolie Ville Sharm El Sheikh Seniors Open eclipsed by Englishman David J Russell’s superb opening round of nine under 63 yesterday.