Joakim Haeggman survived an attack from an angry goose to lie just two shots off the lead after the first round of the Valle Romano Open de Andalucia.

Phil Mickelson did not plan to be playing golf today, but now that he is he believes it can only help his defence of the Masters later this week.

Phil Mickelson did not plan to be playing golf today, but now that he is he believes it can only help his defence of the Masters later this week.

Ian Woosnam is this morning expected to celebrate his 47th birthday by being confirmed as Europe's next Ryder Cup captain for when the event is staged at the K-Club near Dublin in September 2006.

Of the 15 Europeans taking part in the Accenture World Match Play Championship in California this week none has a story to tell quite like that of Sweden’s Joakim Haeggman.

BERNHARD LANGER’S decision to opt out of the captaincy of the European Ryder Cup at The K-Club next year is acutely disappointing.

Padraig Harrington and Paul McGinley just missed out on the first sub-60 score of their golfing lives today – yet still found themselves only joint leaders with unfancied Austria after the first day of the World Cup in Seville.

Joakim Haeggman, joint holder of the European tour record for nine holes, had a chance to at least match it today when he resumed the Madrid Open with five successive birdies.

A surprisingly calm David Howell stayed in control of his own destiny today as the Ryder Cup race matched the weather and hotted up.

PAUL McGINLEY and Colin Montgomerie did precisely what they needed to yesterday on the opening day of the BMW International in Germany.

With only one question mark over whether he should be picked for next month’s Ryder Cup – his form – Colin Montgomerie set about putting that right in Munich today.

England’s Luke Donald took another step towards a Ryder Cup debut next month when he went to the turn in a three-under-par 33 to share the early lead in the BMW International Open in Munich today.

THE battle for the last three places on the European Ryder Cup team will be decided in Munich this week.

Four automatic places in Europe’s Ryder Cup team have still to be decided entering the final event, the BMW International Open in Munich, later this week.

Colin Montgomerie openly admits he is losing sleep. But there are more serious things than the Ryder Cup on his mind.

SOME of the best golfers in the world were seen at nothing like their best in Akron yesterday as the NEC World Championship tried and failed to make up for lost time.

Ireland's Padraig Harrington has been enduring a nightmare at the NEC Invitational at the World Golf Championships at Akron, Ohio.

ALTHOUGH disappointed at failing to make the best of the favourable early morning conditions, Paul McGinley goes into the final two rounds of the US PGA at Whistling Straits on one under par.

WANTED by Paul McGinley - €350,000 over the next four weeks from two tournaments in the US and two more in Europe.

Phil Mickelson may have beaten Ernie Els to the Masters title in April, but it is the South African who is favourite for this week’s Barclays Scottish Open at Loch Lomond.

PHIL MICKELSON may have beaten Ernie Els to the Masters title in April, but the South African is favourite for this week’s Barclays Scottish Open at Loch Lomond.

Ian Poulter was involved in two chases today - one to catch South African Darren Fichardt at the French Open, the other to improve his hopes of a Ryder Cup debut in September.

SEVEN out of nineteen survived the cut at Shinnecock Hills.

Surrounded by the noise of a New York crowd and amid an almighty row about a course bordering on unplayable, quiet man Retief Goosen won himself a second United States Open title last night.

It was a fast-changing leaderboard when the final round of the Volvo PGA championship began at Wentworth today.

Northern Ireland’s Graeme McDowell today took a share of the lead into the fifth day of the weather-delayed Italian Open in Milan.

Argentina’s Angel Cabrera will take a one-shot lead into the third and final round of the Italian Open today.

THE prospects of an Irish captain for the European team in the 2006 Ryder Cup at The K-Club may improve given the precedent set by Bernhard Langer for the September clash with the Americans at Oakland Hills.

BERNHARD LANGER has named Swedes Anders Forsbrand and Joakim Haeggman as his two assistants for September's Ryder Cup in Detroit.

Bernhard Langer has named Swedes Anders Forsbrand and Joakim Haeggman as his two assistants for this September’s Ryder Cup in Detroit.

The Volvo Order of Merit after the Caltex Masters.

Swede Joakim Haeggman captured his first European tour title for seven years at the Qatar Masters in Doha today.

Des Smyth is on four under on the fifth hole of his third round in the Trophée Lancome. Leader Maarten Lafeber is due to tee off in about an hour.

Graeme McDowell, playing only his fourth European Tour event, has a remarkable maiden victory within reach after a third round of 66 put him among the leading group at the Scandinavian Masters.

Northern Ireland's Graeme McDowell is tied for the lead with Swede Niclas Fasth in the third round of the Scandinavian Masters at Kungsängen.

Northern Ireland's Graeme McDowell is tied for the lead in the Scandinavian Masters in Stockholm. He is joined at the top of the leaderboard by Henrik Bjornstad and Warren Bennett.

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

Joakim Haeggman has been forced to give up another of his hobbies in pursuit of reclaiming his place among European golf’s elite.

The final round of the Scandinavian Open has just begun with Darren Clarke well-placed at 11 under, just two shots off the lead.

Darren Clarke has started his final round with a par on the first hole.

Andrew Oldcorn has won the Volvo PGA Championship in Wentworth.

Argentina's Angel Cabrera equalled the 10-year-old Wentworth course record with a dazzling 63 at the start of the Volvo PGA championship today.

Uncharacteristic errors mean Darren Clarke is gradually losing touch with the lead in the Spanish Open at Valencia.