Irish amateur star Alan Dunbar finished just one shot off the bottom of the leaderboard after yesterday’s first round of European Tour second stage qualifying at Lumine Golf & Beach Club in north-east Spain.

Fourteen Irish golfers begin the second stage of the European Tour qualifying school at four venues throughout Spain today.

Ireland captain Pádraig Hogan believes a strong start against hosts Scotland tomorrow will be key to success in the Home Internationals at Glasgow Gailes.

THERE was joy in southern Spain last night for four Irishmen who battled their way through Stage 2 of the European Tour qualifying process and now go forward to the marathon six-round decider beginning at Catalunya, Girona, on Saturday.

THE MAJORITY of the 13-strong Irish contingent at the second stage of the European Tour School in Spain remain in contention for places in next week’s final Tour School.

MUNSTER golfers Cian McNamara, Aaron O’Callaghan and David Higgins yesterday played themselves into promising positions after the first day of the second qualifying stage of the European Tour School at four venues in Spain.

YOU could be forgiven for thinking the end of the competitive golf season had finally arrived now we are almost into the month of December.

The Team Ireland Golf Trust yesterday announced grants of €157,000 to 15 players pursuing their careers on professional tours.

THE failure of any Irish player to win a card at the European Tour School suggests that the well that has provided this country with a steady stream of outstanding players for many years is finally running dry.

TWELVE months ago, Rory McIlroy arrived in Dubai leading the Euro-pean Tour order of merit but was caught on the line by the fast finishing Lee Westwood.

THOMAS BJORN and Carlos Del Moral both shot rounds of 65 to share a two-shot lead at the top of the Estoril Open leaderboard at the end of the second day.

IN his first action on the PGA Tour since missing the cut at The Players Championship in May, Pádraig Harrington fired a bogey-free 65 in the first round of the St Jude Classic at TPC Southwind, Memphis yesterday.

THE Team Ireland Golf Trust yesterday announced grants worth €217,000 to 17 aspiring men and women pursuing careers on professional tours around the world.

NIALL KEARNEY believes he’s ready to join his old amateur team mates Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry on the European Tour after a brilliant three-under par 69 left him inside the vital top 30 after four rounds of the Qualifying School finals at PGA Golf de Catalunya.

KILKENNY’S Gary Murphy took another step towards regaining his card and Niall Kearney showed his huge potential on a wind-lashed second day of the European Tour Qualifying School finals at PGA Golf Catalunya.

Swede Peter Hedblom breathed a huge sigh of relief at Gleneagles tonight after winning the Johnnie Walker Championship.

The greens at Gleneagles came in for criticism from players at the Johnnie Walker Championship today, with Jonathan Caldwell among their scalps.

PAUL LAWRIE has a chance this weekend to achieve something which has even eluded Tiger Woods so far.

A spectacular six-under-par round of 66 saw Ireland's Jonathan Caldwell storm into contention at the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles today.

POOR marshalling cost Gareth Maybin a possible share of the lead on day one of the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles in Scotland.

Gareth Maybin is in a tie for fourth place in the early stages of the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles.

EUROPEAN Ryder Cup captain Colin Montgomerie has sounded a reminder to Pádraig Harrington that Celtic Manor team selection could very well hinge on a commitment to key European Tour tournaments.

GRAEME STORM, relieved to discover last week that he did not have swine flu, shares the lead with fellow Englishman Steve Webster after two rounds of the Moravia Silesia Open in the Czech Republic.

A SPECTACULAR eagle two at the ninth proved crucial as Waterville’s David Higgins yesterday made it through to next week’s Open Championship at Turnberry with a splendid performance over the Glasgow Gailes links in the final local qualifying round.

NORTHERN Ireland’s Jimmy Heggarty played himself into contention at The De Vere Collection PGA Seniors Championship with a superb three-under-par 69 to lie two shots behind clubhouse leader Angel Franco.

DONEGAL giant Michael McGeady feared he might have thrown away his chance of appearing in this week’s 3 Irish Open at Baltray when he faltered over the closing six holes of the Italian Open in Turin on Sunday.

CONSIDERING his ongoing tendency to run up large numbers at one or more holes in almost every event he contests, Pádraig Harrington can hardly be looking forward to the Tournament Players Championship at the water-strewn Sawgrass course in Jacksonville, Florida.

Defending champion Graeme McDowell has failed to make the cut at the Ballantine's Championship in South Korea.

Michael McGeady was tied for fifth as the first round of the Madeira Island Open BPI-Portugal was underway on Porto Santo today, two under after 14 behind Sweden’s Joakim Haeggman in the top spot.

German Marcel Siem, a World Cup winner alongside Bernhard Langer three years ago, made a good start today to his bid for just a second European Tour title in more than 180 starts.

Damien McGrane heads a five-strong Irish contingent at the Madeira Islands Open, which tees off this morning.

Jonathan Caldwell and Michael Hoey have fared best of the Irish competitors on the opening day of the Alfred Dunhill Championship in South Africa today.

Several Irish players are in strong positions after the penultimate round of the European Tour Qualifying School in Girona.

Irishman Jonathan Caldwell’s bid to join his close friend Rory McIlroy on the European Tour got off to a purposeful start in the opening round of the qualifying school final at PGA Golf de Catalunya near Girona.

Ireland got off to a disappointing start on the opening day of the World Amateur Team Championship (Eisenhower Trophy) at the Royal Adelaide and Grange Golf Clubs in Australia.

IRELAND’S amateur golfers were celebrating last night — and with plenty of justification- after sweeping to their first four-cornered home international title for five years.

Ireland's amateur golfers today added the Home Internationals title along with a Triple Crown to their haul this year as they ran out comfortable winners against England on the final day by 10 matches to 5.

IRISH stars Jonathan Caldwell and Shane Lowry played a key role in helping Great Britain and Ireland establish a comfortable first-day advantage against the Continent of Europe in the St Andrews Trophy match at Kingsbarns yesterday.

LEINSTER include the three outstanding players of the amateur season so far — Shane Lowry, Niall Kearney and Paul O’Hanlon — in their side for the Interprovincial Championship getting under way at Athlone tomorrow.

Ireland retained the European Amateur Team Championship for the first time in 41 years on Saturday.

Ireland's amateur golfers are on course to retain the European Team Championship title in Italy.

Defending champion Shane Lowry (Esker Hills) will contest the Golfsure-sponsored Irish Amateur Close Championship at Belvoir Park Golf Club from June 7-11.

WHILE they celebrated at Clandeboye Golf Club last night after the inclusion of Jonathan Caldwell in the British & Irish team to play the US in the Walker Cup at Royal Co Down on September 9 and 10, there was disappointment at Banbridge when Richard Kilpatrick was omitted.