While the game seems effortless for world No 1 Rory McIlroy, if he could only inspect the hands of his Spanish Ryder Cup captain he would understand the pain Jose Maria Olazabal is putting himself through as he attempts to end a seven-year winless drought.

Major champions Darren Clarke, Pádraig Harrington and Rory McIlroy were fine-tuning their British Open preparations yesterday and so missed out on a special day at Mullingar Golf Club.

Moyola Park’s Chris Selfridge took the title but not before West Waterford’s Gary Hurley hit one of the most dramatic birdies ever seen at Royal Portrush to set up a nerve-jangling finale to the Golfsure sponsored Irish Amateur Close at a sun-kissed Dunluce Links.

PAUL CUTLER will hold many lasting memories from his tripto the Irish Open in Killarney.

BIG-HITTING Damian Mooney followed up the longest drive ofhis career with a solid opening round in the frost-delayed European Tour Qualifying School finals at PGA Catalunya Resort in Spain.

COACH Neil Manchip put one over on pupil Shane Lowry when he outscored the European Tour star by three shots in the opening round of the Ladbrokes.com Irish PGA.

FIFTEEN years ago, Warrenpoint’s Jim Carvill travelled to Lahinch for his first South of Ireland Championship.

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.

SOUTH of Ireland winner Cian McNamara (Limerick) and runner-up Greg Bowden (Hermitage) are the two new caps in the Irish team for the Home Internationals at Prestwick on September 8-10.

THERE were several occasions at Lahinch yesterday when Cian McNamara believed he was about to miss out on his burning ambition to capture the Shell South of Ireland Championship.

Teen sensation Cian McNamara produced two stunning extra time comebacks to win the Shell Ireland sponsored South of Ireland title at Lahinch.

CIAN McNamara, an 18-year-old Limerick schoolboy, has played himself into position to become the youngest winner of the Shell South of Ireland since Fred Ballingall in 1897, by reaching the semi-finals in impressive fashion at Lahinch yesterday.

Charlie Mulqueen

STACKSTOWN'S Mark Campbell produced his best ever round at Baltray to grab the halfway lead in the East of Ireland Amateur championship in Co Louth.

AARON O’CALLAGHAN, winner of this year’s Irish Examiner Junior Sports Star award for golf, is one of a number of entries for the British Amateur Championship beginning at St Andrews on Monday.

THE eagerly awaited AIB Irish Amateur Open will take place in Carton House, Maynooth this weekend.

Dubliner Paul McDonald cruised into the semi-finals of the West of Ireland Championship with a one hole win over international Johnny Foster at Rosses Point today.

Swedish teenager Rikard Karlberg carded a course record 65 to take the clubhouse lead in the West of Ireland championship at Rosses Point today.

Charlie Mulqueen, Ballybunion

MICHAEL BRETT is the oldest of today's semi-finalists for the Golfsure Irish Amateur Close Championship.

A BIRDIE, birdie finish enabled Eoin O'Sullivan, a 27-year-old Dubliner from The Island club, to turn a two shot deficit with two to play into a one stroke advantage as he clinched the biggest victory of his career at Mullingar yesterday.

BARRY REDDAN is set to become the oldest winner of the Shell-sponsored South of Ireland Championship.

THERE was a time when the South of Ireland was known as one of Ireland's premier sporting exports.