A rules blunder by Rory McIlroy left him only able to claim a "moral victory" for the second time in three years today.

Ireland's Damien McGrane defied the miserable conditions to card a superb 67 and set the clubhouse target in the third round of the KLM Open in Zandvoort.

Sleeping on Saturday evening would not have come easy to the top two players on the eve of their final round of the 2013 Irish Open.

There are no Irish players in the top ten after round three of the Irish Open.

Peter Hanson warmed up for the Ryder Cup in fine style by claiming victory at the KLM Open in Hilversum today.

Graeme Storm let a five-shot advantage leak away and will embark on tomorrow's final round of the KLM Open in a four-man tie at the top of the leaderboard.

Simon Dyson double-bogeyed the last hole to throw the race for the Spanish Open wide open again with a round to go in Seville.

Simon Dyson, the highest-ranked player in the field at 36th in the world, took over at the top in the rain-delayed third round of the Reale Seguros Spanish Open in Seville today.

IN ANY other season Padraig Harrington could be pleased with third place in his defence of the shortened Iskandar Johor Open in Malaysia.

Continental Europe fought back to lead two of the five fourball matches against Great Britain and Ireland during the early stages of the second round of the Vivendi Seve Trophy at St-Nom-La-Breteche.

GREAT BRITAIN and Ireland captain Paul McGinley warned his players not to get carried away after a dream first day of the Vivendi Seve Trophy at St-Nom-La-Breteche saw them take a 4-1 lead over Continental Europe.

Great Britain and Ireland captain Paul McGinley warned his players not to get carried away after a dream first day of the Vivendi Seve Trophy at St-Nom-La-Breteche saw them take a 4-1 lead over Continental Europe.

Thomas Bjorn has won a five-man, five-hole play-off in the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles.

England's Mark Foster and Spaniard Ignacio Garrido, who have played more than 450 European Tour events between them since their last wins in 2003, will go head to head to try to change that at Gleneagles tomorrow.

There is still no word on whether Tiger Woods will be in next month's Open or not, but Sergio Garcia is now a certain starter at Sandwich.

INSPIRED by a tip from compatriot Christy O’Connor Jnr, Des Smyth captured his fourth European Senior Tour title in thrilling fashion with a sublime round of 65 at the Van Lanschot Senior Open in Holland yesterday.

Sergio Garcia was denied a return to winning ways when he lost a five-hole play-off to fellow Spaniard Pablo Larrazabal at the BMW International Open in Munich today.

Sergio Garcia birdied the final hole to force a play-off with fellow Spaniard Pablo Larrazabal at the BMW International Open in Munich today.

Sweden’s Henrik Stenson and South African George Coetzee share the lead at the halfway stage of the BMW International Open in Munich.

SCOTLAND’S Scott Jamieson, playing just the 11th European Tour event of his career, tops the leaderboard after the first round of the Spanish Open in Barcelona.

Scotland's Scott Jamieson, playing just the 11th European Tour event of his career, tops the leaderboard after the first round of the Spanish Open in Barcelona.

Martin Kaymer’s made a rocky start in his bid to claim the world number one ranking at the Andalucia Valderrama Masters in Sotogrande today.

Colin Montgomerie made a good start today as he tried to put the drama of the Ryder Cup behind him and arrest his own golfing slump at Kingsbarns.

Welshman Bradley Dredge, leader since his opening 64 on Thursday, was two in front with nine holes to go at the BMW International Open in Munich.

Welshman Bradley Dredge leads the BMW International Open in Munich at the halfway stage as star attractions Ernie Els and Sergio Garcia crashed out of the event.

Scotland's Paul Lawrie has stepped up his bid for a first title in eight years today.

Overnight leaders Bradley Dredge and Peter Whiteford found themselves in a four-way tie at the BMW International Open in Munich today.

Asian number one Thongchai Jaidee defied a niggling elbow injury to card a superb bogey-free eight-under-par 64 today to share a two-shot first round lead at the Volvo China Open alongside Korea's Kim Do-hoon.

Ireland's Damien McGrane set about chasing down first round clubhouse leaders Pablo Larrazabal and Liang Wenchong at the Volvo China Open today.

Spain’s Pablo Larrazabal and Chinese number one Liang Wenchong established a one-shot lead midway through the first round of the Volvo China Open after defying cold and windy conditions at Jinji Lakes International Golf Club to card six-under-par rounds of 66 today.

Paul McGinley and Thomas Bjorn - high on Colin Montgomerie's wanted list as Ryder Cup vice-captains - would love nothing more than to force him into finding someone else.

Ryder Cup Dane Soren Hansen moved into contention for the European Open at the London Club in Kent today – and also witnessed something he has never seen before.

Jose Maria Olazabal has called for a “special” performance as his European team seek to overturn a five-point deficit to defeat Asia and extend their 100% record in The Royal Trophy.

Asia were in the ascendancy midway through the opening day’s foursomes at The Royal Trophy as Europe squandered early advantages.

IRELAND’S Paul McGinley says there is an underlying desire within the European team to win The Royal Trophy this week in honour of the absent Seve Ballesteros.

Henrik Stenson believes playing with Robert Karlsson at the Ryder Cup this year gave Sweden the edge over other countries as they combined to secure the Omega Mission Hills World Cup yesterday.

Robert Karlsson and Henrik Stenson combined to produce a scintillating performance in the final-round foursomes today to capture the Omega Mission Hills World Cup for Sweden.

Brendan Jones sank a birdie on the last to ensure Australia take a share of the lead alongside Spain into tomorrow’s final round of the Omega Mission Hills World Cup.

Miguel Angel Jimenez lavished praise upon compatriot Pablo Larrazabal after the duo shot Spain into the halfway lead at the Omega Mission Hills World Cup today.

Spain’s Pablo Larrazabal surged up the UBS Hong Kong leaderboard to share the lead with England’s Oliver Wilson and Lin Wen-tang of Chinese Taipei midway through the third round today.

Spain’s Pablo Larrazabal has capped a magnificent maiden season on the European Tour by winning the Sir Henry Cotton rookie of the year award.

Jose Maria Olazabal’s third career comeback appeared to be going to plan at the Madrid Masters to be three off the lead after his first round.

Colin Montgomerie, one of the biggest critics of slow play in golf, was today trying to avoid being guilty of it for the second successive week.

European golf has a brand new star – smiling Spaniard Pablo Larrazabal, who today completed a dream victory at the French Open in Paris.