THE second stage of the European Tour’s qualifying school takes place this week in Spain with 252 players competing. Matches will be played at three venues for a place at next week’s six round final stage, where the top 30 players (plus ties) will win a place on the 2006 European Tour.

IRELAND will have a minimum of ten players on next season’s European Tour.

EIGHT Irish golfers came through the first qualifying stage of the European Tour Qualifying School over the St Annes Old Links in Lancashire yesterday.

IRISH golfers involved at St Anne’s Old Links, Lancashire, yesterday played themselves into excellent positions to progress to the second qualifier for the European Tour.

AS Paul McGinley and co play for the £1 million first prize in the HSBC World Match Play Championship at Wentworth, other matters are taxing the minds of hundreds of hopefuls all over Europe.

THE DONALD Steel-designed Lackabane course at Killarney hosts the first European Challenge Tour event in the Republic of Ireland over the next four days with the arrival of the Ireland Ryder Cup Challenge.

IRISH golf breaks new ground this week when the European Challenge Tour comes to our shores for the first time.

MOST of the focus, understandably, is on the 'big three' of Padraig Harrington, Darren Clarke and Paul McGinley.

STEPHEN BROWNE became the 21st Irishman in the Nissan Irish Open field after a late call up last night.

IT cannot be easy for a 29 year-old to turn his back on competitive golf for six months, at a time when his career is in crisis.

Jimmy Heggarty stormed in amidst the gathering dusk at Tullamore last night to snatch a share of the lead after the local clubs' annual pro-am tournament. Jimmy Bolger had sat on top of the leaderboard for hours at level par 70 but that score was matched by Heggarty.

Edinburgh-born Neil Manchip, assistant to Leonard Owens at Royal Dublin, won the Irish Club Professionals' Championship at Nuremore for a third time with a closing round of 65.