On the day golf was voted back into the Olympics Sergio Garcia says he wants to make it not simply to Rio de Janeiro in 2016, but to the two Games after that as well.

Heavy and prolonged rain yesterday brought a change to the PGA Centenary Course at Gleneagles for the start of the Johnnie Walker Championship today.

Gary Murphy admits his mind wanders to “stupid stuff” on the golf course but he will have to concentrate for just 36 more holes to claim a first European Tour title in the Bank Austria Open.

Even with a driver that had started to rattle, Sweden’s Johan Edfors set the early pace in the Irish Open at Adare Manor today.

The two-shot penalty which cost American Jeff Maggert so dearly when he was leading the 2003 Masters will no longer be imposed under new Rules of Golf coming into force next year.

Half of Europe’s Ryder Cup team will be competing in golf’s World Cup in Barbados in December – but there are a huge number of big name absentees again.

SEVEN years after being overlooked for a Ryder Cup wild card, Sweden’s Robert Karlsson yesterday took a massive step towards an automatic place in the European team.

Lee Westwood and Robert Karlsson will have the Ryder Cup on their minds in the final round of the Deutsche Bank Players’ Championship in Hamburg.

Northern Ireland’s Graeme McDowell gave himself an early birthday present with a third-round 65 in the weather disrupted Deutsche Bank Players’ Championship.

After leading for much of the day, Ireland’s Darren Clarke was overtaken by Scot David Drysdale and Sweden’s Johan Edfors at the Barclays Scottish Open today.

Irish golfer Graeme McDowell qualified today for next week’s US Open at Winged Foot.

Munster’s Heineken Cup victory over Biarritz cost Darren Clarke a share of the lead going into the final round of the Nissan Irish Open.

Emanuele Canonica delighted the home fans with a spectacular start to the second round of the Italian Open in Milan.

Michael Campbell breathed some new life into his challenge to Colin Montgomerie for the European Order of Merit title at Valderrama today.

It was a case of making hay while the sun shone when the £2.7m (€3.95m) Dunhill Links championship began today – and 51-year-old Eduardo Romero was among those who did.

COLIN MONTGOMERIE lifted the Seve Trophy for a third successive time yesterday - despite losing his own singles yet again.

Colin Montgomerie praised his Britain and Ireland team-mates tonight after they turned a 4-1 first-day deficit into a one-point lead – 9 1/2-8 1/2 – going into the 10 concluding singles of the Seve Trophy at The Wynyard, near Middlesbrough.

Padraig Harrington suffered last-green disappointment for the second time in three days in the Seve Trophy at The Wynyard near Middlesbrough today.

Colin Montgomerie watched from the sidelines as his Britain and Ireland team continued to turn things around in the Seve Trophy at The Wynyard near Middlesbrough.

With captain Colin Montgomerie now watching rather than playing, Britain and Ireland made a fine start to the third day’s play in the Seve Trophy at The Wynyard near Middlesbrough today.

After a telling off from captain Colin Montgomerie, Ian Poulter helped Britain and Ireland mount a Seve Trophy fightback at The Wynyard near Middlesbrough today.

Britain and Ireland fought back in the Seve Trophy today despite a Bradley Dredge blunder and Ian Poulter being left in no doubt he had incurred the wrath of captain Colin Montgomerie.

Britain and Ireland shot themselves in the foot during play at the Seve Trophy event today when Welshman Bradley Dredge discovered after teeing off at the first that he had 15 clubs in his bag - one more than allowed. A fairway wood should not have been there.

The Seve Trophy resumed today with Ian Poulter left in no doubt that he had incurred the wrath of captain Colin Montgomerie.

CAPTAIN Colin Montgomerie and Graeme McDowell were the only home winners as holders Britain and Ireland made an awful start to the Seve Trophy at The Wynyard near Middlesbrough yesterday.

Captain Colin Montgomerie and Graeme McDowell were the only home winners as holders Britain and Ireland made an awful start to the Seve Trophy at The Wynyard near Middlesbrough today.

Captain Colin Montgomerie and debutant Graeme McDowell gave holders Britain and Ireland the first point in the Seve Trophy at The Wynyard near Middlesbrough today.

First hole eagles from captain Colin Montgomerie and David Howell – and then a near hole in one by Howell – helped Britain and Ireland hold the early edge in the Seve Trophy at The Wynyard near Middlesbrough today.

Colin Montgomerie expects most of Europe’s Ryder Cup side next year to come from the 20 players on view in the Seve Trophy match which started at The Wynyard near Middlesbrough today.

CAPTAINS Colin Montgomerie and Jose Maria Olazabal have agreed on a change to this week’s Seve Trophy - to try to avoid any grudge matches.

Captains Colin Montgomerie and Jose Maria Olazabal have agreed on a change to this week’s Seve Trophy – to try to avoid any grudge matches.

Colin Montgomerie and Jose Maria Olazabal lock horns again this week – 21 years after they clashed in the final of the British Amateur Championship.

Bernhard Langer moved into contention for his 12th European Tour title on home soil in the Linde German Masters, and could pocket his own money into the bargain.

RYDER CUP star Paul Casey provided further proof he has overcome the worst slump in his career by impressing in the Linde German Masters in Cologne.

Ryder Cup star Paul Casey provided further proof he has overcome the worst slump in his career by impressing in the Linde German Masters in Cologne.

Colin Montgomerie flew to America today still unsure about whether he will be 100% fit for the start of the US PGA championship on Thursday.

ITALY’S Emanuele Canonica has been the European Tour’s biggest hitter four times but yesterday finally achieved what he wanted above all - a tournament victory.

Italian Emanuele Canonica, four times the European tour’s biggest hitter, today finally achieved what he most wanted – a tournament victory.

Italian Emanuele Canonica was in sight of his first European tour victory with nine holes to play in the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles today.

Young Belgian Nicolas Colsaerts, without a European tour card and without a top 20 finish all year, takes a two-stroke lead into the final round of the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles tomorrow.

Colin Montgomerie’s tune-up for the final major of the season went horribly wrong at Gleneagles when he retired injured after only 13 holes.

European Tour players breathed a sigh of relief this morning after it was decided to change one of the holes for the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles.

Former English amateur champion Richard Finch, playing just the ninth European Tour event of his career and ranked 716th in the world, broke the course record with a dazzling second-round 63 at the Italian Open in Milan today.