Ryder Cup captain Paul McGinley was thrilled to see Rory McIlroy head a posse of six Europeans in the top 10 at The Open.

The Open Championship enjoyed a case of deja vu today with glorious weather at Royal Liverpool and a certain Tiger Woods high on the leaderboard in the opening round.

Low scoring dominated the first day of the 143rd Open Championship at Royal Liverpool – with Rory McIlroy and a rusty Tiger Woods getting in on the act.

Italian golf has reached previously unknown heights since the arrival in the big time over the last few years of the Molinari brothers Francesco and Edoardo and the clear possibility that in the 20 year-old Matteo Manassero, last week’s highly impressive winner of the BMW PGA Championship, they possess the next Tiger Woods.

Francesco and Edoardo Molinari were today hoping to turn the BMW PGA Championship into a family affair as good weather produced equally good scoring at Wentworth.

Former Ryder Cup star Ross Fisher and Scotland’s Stephen Gallacher both matched their lowest rounds of the year to share the lead when the Portugal Masters began today.

Jeev Milkha Singh is back in The Open three years after pulling out injured two days before the start at Turnberry, unsure he would ever return.

Indian Jeev Milkha Singh was the unlikely winner of the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open in Inverness today after home hope Marc Warren blew a three-shot lead over the closing stretch.

Italian Francesco Molinari remained one ahead with nine holes to go in the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open at Castle Stuart today.

The highest cut of the European Tour season so far was on the cards as Celtic Manor once again presented a tough challenge today.

Next month’s Irish Open has received another major boost with the confirmation that US PGA champion Keegan Bradley will be in the field at Royal Portrush Golf Club.

Ryder Cup contenders Simon Dyson and Francesco Molinari headed to Sawgrass in Florida today in totally contrasting moods.

Strong winds prevented any play before 1pm on the second day of the Hassan Trophy in Morocco.

Whether you agree paying Tiger Woods more in appearance money than the entire prize fund was worth in Abu Dhabi at the weekend or not, he contributed hugely to the success of the tournament.

EUROPEAN TOUR chief George O’Grady wasn’t exaggerating when he claimed on Sunday that 2011 has been the greatest year in his organisation’s history.

Rory McIlroy and Graeme McDowell finally have the chance this week to make up for the disappointment of losing the World Cup by one shot two years ago.

JOSE-MARIA OLAZABAL has mixed feelings this week.

Ireland’s Peter Lawrie was setting the pace for the second week running when the Johnnie Walker Championship began after a 160-minute fog delay at Gleneagles today.

Thick fog delayed the start of the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles today.

Darren Clarke’s Open Championship victory was not enough to get him into Ireland’s two-man team for the World Cup in China in November.

Just three weeks after meeting in a play-off to decide not only the BMW PGA Championship but also the world number one spot, Luke Donald and Lee Westwood will clash again in the first two rounds of the US Open at Congressional this coming week.

COSTANTINO ROCCA hopes the inaugural Sicilian Open, which gets under way today, will help Italy to continue developing into a major force in world golf.

Ian Poulter is set to start the defence of his WGC-Accenture Match Play title against 2009 Open champion Stewart Cink if all the world’s top 64 show up in Tucson next week.

ITALY coach Nick Mallett believes the country’s rugby federation and its two Magners League franchises need to work together to help the national team improve.

Nick Mallett embarks on his fourth RBS 6 Nations campaign as coach of Italy looking for continued progress from his players.

Edoardo Molinari birdied his first six holes to grab the second round lead away from his brother Francesco at the Volvo Golf Champions in Bahrain today.

THE increasingly lucrative “Gulf Swing” on the European Tour begins Thursday with the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship.

THE ABSENCE of Pádraig Harrington and Rory McIlroy from this week’s Andalucia Masters has caused considerable disappointment in these parts.

PERHAPS, like me, you have found this week’s Ryder Cup celebrations more than a little surreal? All those mud-splattered Brits, mainly, but not exclusively, Welsh, chanting “Europe, Europe” at Celtic Manor, while living in a nation which, with the possible exception of Greece, is the most Euro-phobic of any of the 27 member states of the EU?

Steve Stricker struck a blow for the United States by beating European talisman Lee Westwood as the 38th Ryder Cup began building towards its climax at Celtic Manor.

Europe’s Ryder Cup stars appeared to be on a relentless victory march against the United States at Celtic Manor today.

THOSE convinced that European success in this Ryder Cup is a foregone conclusion should temper their optimism with a little caution and remember the happenings at Brookline in 1999.

Europe take a remarkable three-point lead into the Monday singles at the Ryder Cup after a quite stunning session at Celtic Manor.

Europe extended their lead over the USA to three points at Celtic Manor this afternoon as the remaining fourballs of the third session were wrapped up.

The Ryder Cup scoreboard shows America 6-4 ahead overnight, but Europe were the ones with the clear momentum when play ended at Celtic Manor tonight.

His last win was not quite as long ago as the moon landing, but Padraig Harrington finally took one small step for Europe and one giant leap for himself at the Ryder Cup today.

Lee Westwood gave the crowd a wave of acknowledgment and they responded in inevitable fashion.

World number one Tiger Woods hailed his partner Steve Stricker’s prolific putting after they posted an emphatic foursomes victory for the United States at Celtic Manor.

Padraig Harrington won his first Ryder Cup match since the singles in 2004 today as the rain-delayed Ryder Cup continued at Celtic Manor.

Italian brothers Edoardo and Francesco Molinari have lost their Ryder Cup foursomes game against American duo Zach Johnson and Hunter Mahan.

Europe went into the second session of the Ryder Cup needing to stage a fightback at Celtic Manor – and were helped by a blunder from Jim Furyk and rookie Rickie Fowler.

An angry Colin Montgomerie could not believe his ears today when he was told that some of his team had teed off in the Ryder Cup without knowing the right position of the flag on the opening green.

Graeme McDowell and Rory McIlroy were given a second crack at Stewart Cink and Matt Kuchar when the Ryder Cup switched from fourballs to foursomes.

PADRAIG HARRINGTON put his time to good use at Celtic Manor when the rain came down on the Ryder Cup and play was suspended for seven hours and 18 minutes as he and Luke Donald played American rookies Bubba Watson and Jeff Overton.