Former major winners Jose Maria Olazabal and Michael Campbell will be among 288 players trying for just 12 places in The Open at the final qualifying competition next Tuesday.

JUST because you’ve been there, done that and bought the tee shirt, doesn’t mean you have any right to cruise through the six-day “prison sentence” they call the European Tour Qualifying School final stage.

England’s John Parry – a team-mate of Rory McIlroy in the 2007 Walker Cup - today became the third rookie to win on this season’s European Tour.

Padraig Harrington’s final competitive outing before the Ryder Cup saw him equal his lowest round of the year – an eight under par 64 – in Paris today.

England’s John Parry will take a one-shot lead into the final round of the Vivendi Cup in Paris.

Padraig Harrington, much to his relief, has two more rounds to try to get his game in shape for the Ryder Cup.

IT WAS a long, anxious afternoon wait for Pádraig Harrington, along with his two elder brothers, before confirmation the triple Major winner had done enough to play all four rounds of the Vivendi Cup at Chambourcy.

Padraig Harrington is a massive 11 shots off the lead at the halfway stage of the low-key Vivendi Trophy in Paris – but at least he is still in it.

Padraig Harrington faced a long wait to discover if he had survived the halfway cut after a bad morning’s work at the Vivendi Cup in Paris.

US Open champion Graeme McDowell was upstaged by world number 317 John Parry, who carded a second-round 67 to take the lead at the Austrian Open in Atzenbrugg.

Five years after beating Tiger Woods down the stretch to become US Open champion New Zealand’s Michael Campbell finds himself in a very different battle in Scotland tomorrow.

Sweden’s Michael Jonzon, with one European Tour win in 290 starts and fighting for his future, leads the Castello Masters in Spain with a round to play.

France’s Thomas Levet needed only five holes this morning to take the lead away from Dane Soren Hansen at the Spanish Open.

A two-over-par round of 73 was good enough for England’s Ross McGowan to retain the lead at the Estoril Portuguese Open in windy Cascais today.

Swede Peter Hanson managed only a third round 74 at the Andalucian Open in Seville today and knew instantly what it meant – no Masters debut again.

Former champion Henrik Stenson bounced back from missing the cut last week to card an opening six-under-par 66 and open up a one-stroke lead at the Qatar Masters.

Padraig Harrington and Trevor Immelman, winners of three majors between them last year, were left with plenty of ground to make up after their opening rounds of the Abu Dhabi Championship today.

The form which swept Henrik Stenson to two notable victories before Christmas deserted him when the Abu Dhabi Championship began today.

Liang Wen-chong took the clubhouse lead midway through the first round of the UBS Hong Kong Open today after carding a six-under-par 64.

Only six players in the 168-strong field broke par on a miserable day at the Dunhill Links Championship, but Padraig Harrington and Lee Westwood still had reasons to be cheerful.

Padraig Harrington’s hopes of a third Dunhill Links Championship victory, which would almost certainly secure the Order of Merit too, suffered an early blow today.

Jarmo Sandelin today made a flying start to the Dunhill Links Championship.

Europe’s Ryder Cup team flew into Louisville tonight with captain Nick Faldo describing them as raring to go and well rested – especially star player Padraig Harrington.

Jamie Moul, playing only his second European Tour event, is just one shot off the lead going into tomorrow's final round of the Inteco Russian Open.

Former Ryder Cup player Jarmo Sandelin and Mikael Lundberg continued Sweden's recent success in the Inteco Russian Open today by claiming the halfway lead in Moscow.

Former Ryder Cup player Jarmo Sandelin today moved into contention for his first victory in six years in the Inteco Russian Open.

Not many golfers hug their caddie halfway through an event, but for former Ryder Cup star Ignacio Garrido it was perfectly understandable on Friday.

India’s Digvijay Singh set the early pace at the inaugural co-sanctioned Indian Masters in Delhi this morning after reaching the turn three-under-par.

Tour winners David Carter, David Park and Sven Struver face a trip to the qualifying school next month after missing the cut in the rain-delayed Mallorca Classic today.

Defending champion Niclas Fasth was among 60 players returning to Pula Golf Club to complete their first rounds - weather permitting – in the rain-affected Mallorca Classic today.

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

Former amateur stars Lloyd Saltman and Rory McIlroy made exactly the start to their professional European Tour careers they were hoping for today.

Sweden’s Robert Karlsson is on target for back-to-back victories and a certain place in the Ryder Cup after a brilliant performance in the EnterCard Scandinavian Masters.

Swede Johan Edfors, 410th in the world at the start of the year, became the shock winner of the Quinn Direct British Masters at The Belfry today – after three of the biggest names in European golf all had a day to forget.

Paul Casey, two ahead overnight, held the same advantage after six holes of the final round in the Quinn Direct British Masters at The Belfry.

Paul Casey was put under pressure by his two most dangerous opponents when the third round of the Quinn Direct British Masters began at The Belfry today.

As far as Paul Casey is concerned the European Tour can play every event at The Belfry if they want.

Twenty four hours after nearly walking out of The Belfry in disgust, Darren Clarke did what he thought was impossible today.

Former Ryder Cup star Jarmo Sandelin believes he is playing the best golf of his career after finishing second in the Italian Open in Milan.

Francesco Molinari today became the first home winner of the Italian Open for 26 years at Castello di Tolcinasco in Milan.

Former Ryder Cup player Jarmo Sandelin, whose last trip to San Roque was to save his European tour career five months ago, burst into the joint lead when the Spanish Open resumed today.

Paul Broadhurst maintained his lead in the Portuguese Open but admits he struggled to hold things together today.

Paul Lawrie kept himself firmly in contention in the Portuguese Open by reverting to the putting technique which helped him enter golf’s Hall of Fame.

Swedish star Christian Nilsson made a blistering start in the Portuguese Open to go to the top of the leaderboard.