Rory McIlroy has taken the Golf Writers’ Trophy for 2012 ahead of Europe’s triumphant Ryder Cup team.

When Johnny Miller closed with a record-breaking 63 to win the 1973 US Open at Oakmont, the fallout was horrific.

JUST like old times, Jack and Arnie, the Golden Bear and the King, were gearing up to be centre stage at a major championship today, with golf’s most enduring personalities set to fulfil their roles as honorary starters at the 75th Masters.

A COMPANY town with a company golf course, almost everything you see in this corner of Sheboygan County, Wisconsin appears to have the name ‘Kohler’ stamped on it, from the bathtubs to the owner of this week’s US PGA Championship venue.

Ryder Cup captain Colin Montgomerie has hailed Graeme McDowell’s mental toughness as he brought to an end a European drought at the United States Open that stretched all the way back to Tony Jacklin in 1970.

Sports Minister Mary Hanafin led tributes to US Open winner Graeme McDowell today.

AFTER the excitement of the Race to Dubai and Lee Westwood’s successes on Sunday, the attention switches to the World Cup of Golf which starts Thursday at the Mission Hills Golf Club in China.

Colin Montgomerie went public with his views on the Ryder Cup today – and Nick Faldo came out of it very badly.

COULD this US Open have been any better, any more exciting or any more suspenseful?

Tiger Woods led Rocco Mediate by two at the halfway stage of their US Open 18-hole play-off at Torrey Pines today.

Tiger Woods and Rocco Mediate were both men on a mission when they returned to Torrey Pines for their US Open 18-hole play-off on Monday.

IT was a Tour career that began at the 1974 Spanish Open with him scoring 83 and ended 23 years later with him 16 over par and joint last with a 67-year-old Lee Trevino.

Colin Montgomerie may not be able to stop the clock ticking – he was 44 on Saturday – but what he can do is stop his world ranking falling.

For Seve Ballesteros, the golf course, in competition, is where he is meant to be. Simon Lewis found him loving his new challenge.

FOLLOWING the 14-14 draw at The Belfry in 1989, another desperately close finish was always on the cards at Kiawah Island in European captain Bernard Gallacher’s first match in charge.

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.

American Fred Couples, who is bidding to play in a sixth Ryder Cup, will play in next month’s Scottish Open at Loch Lomond.

The 1974 US Open at Winged Foot was nicknamed ‘The Massacre’. Tiger Woods has called parts of this year’s course “brutal”.

Gil Morgan fired a five-under-par 66 to lead by a shot rom Peter Jacobsen after the opening round of the Senior PGA Championship, the first Major of the year on the Champions Tour.

Denmark’s Soren Kjeldsen targeted an overdue victory after equalling the course record in the first round of the Italian Open in Milan.

Ryder Cup captain Ian Woosnam was today taking a close look at one of the surprise contenders for his European team in the Italian Open in Milan.

Loren Roberts, aiming to become the first player to win the first three events of the Champions Tour season, ended the second round of the ACE Group Classic in Florida tied for the lead.

HAVING overcome a heart problem, being appointed vice-captain of the 2006 European Ryder Cup, winning two US Champions Tour tournaments and $1,238,876 in prize money, Des Smyth can look back on the last ten months with satisfaction.

Ireland’s Des Smyth grabbed a share of the lead after the first round of the Champions Tour Administaff Small Business Classic in Texas.

In the last tune-up before the final major of the season, there are a number of players who seem to be at the top of their game.

David Howell brought back memories of Hale Irwin at the 1983 Open today when he missed the ball on a tap-in putt.

Allen Doyle overcame a nine-shot deficit to fire an eight-under-par 63 and clinch the US Senior Open.

Peter Jacobsen sank birdie putts on the 16th and 17th holes to snatch a one-shot victory over Hale Irwin at the Senior Players Championship in Michigan.

Helped by a hole-in-one, American Peter Jacobsen kept alive the chance of becoming the oldest-ever winner of a major title at Pinehurst today.

American Peter Jacobsen, at 51 the oldest player left in the US Open at Pinehurst, leapt into contention for the title with a hole-in-one today.

Ernie Els is determined to wipe away the memories of last year’s final round at the US Open with a performance to treasure this weekend.

Wayne Levi finished his second round with a flourish to grab a share of the lead at the FedEx Kinko's Classic in Texas.

DES SMYTH was in the air again yesterday, heading to Texas for the next stop on a Champions Tour campaign he is quickly making his own.

Gusty winds got the best of every player at the Legends of Golf except Irishman Des Smyth.

Former world number one Greg Norman will be wired for sound at this week’s Heineken Classic in Melbourne.

Tom Watson took a look at his scorecard and was very happy. Watson fired a bogey-free eight-under-par 64 – one shot off the event record - and opened a two-stroke lead after the first round of the MasterCard Championship in Hawaii.

Mark McNulty fired an eight-under-par 63 – his best round of the year – to open up a four-stroke lead after the second round of the SBC Championship in San Antonio, Texas.

Larry Nelson completed a comeback with a six-foot birdie putt on the first play-off hole to win the Champions Tour’s Administaff Small Business Classic.

US Ryder Cup team captain Hal Sutton says he wants to face the strongest European team possible at Oakland Hills this September.

ERNIE ELS staved off a star-studded group of challengers to win the Memorial Tournament by four strokes.

Bob Charles, who has not won in eight years, put himself in position to make golf history.

BEING at the Masters is one thing. Caddying for Pádraig Harrington another. But when our own Charlie Mulqueen guided Ireland's finest to victory in Wednesday's Par 3 tournament, he left the course with mixed feelings.