WORLD number 42 Peter Lonard clinched his first Australian Open title yesterday when a birdie at the 72nd hole edged out US Open runner-up Stephen Leaney and Chris Downes by a stroke.

Peter Lonard fired a final round 69 to claim the Australian Open title at Moonah Links.

AUSTRALIA’S Stephen Leaney is delighted to be playing in this week’s Volvo Masters at Valderrama, thanks to his baby son Sebastian.

IT WAS left to Denmark’s Thomas Bjorn to keep the European flag flying at the HSBC World Match Play Championship at Wentworth yesterday.

The three Europeans in the HSBC World Match Play Championship at Wentworth were all in danger of falling at the first hurdle today.

Vijay Singh made a dream start to his first round clash with German Alex Cejka in the HSBC World Matchplay Championship at Wentworth.

Colin Montgomerie has decided on a change of caddie – for the second time in under four months.

Volvo Order of Merit after Omega European Masters - September 7, 2003.

ALTHOUGH the first round lead is shared by the Scot Alastair Forsyth; Philip Price and South Africa’s Retief Goosen on six under par 66, the Irish challenge for the Smurfit European Champion at The K-Club is very much alive.

Darren Clarke spoke tonight about his concern for the wife of US Open runner-up Stephen Leaney – after he struck her on the head in the first round of the Smurfit European Open at the K Club near Dublin.

To say that European tour golfer Brian Davis has had an interesting month is putting it mildly.

DAVID DUVAL has withdrawn from next month’s Smurfit European Open at The K Club.

PLANNING the year’s schedule is one of the most important tasks for any top ranking professional golfer. The temptation to play in just about everything is always there given the enormous sums of money on offer almost every week.

CADDIES, more than their employers, seem to be capturing the headlines these days.

NEWLY-CROWNED US Open champion Jim Furyk looked at the trophy and warned any wannabe champions - don’t copy my swing.

US OPEN runner-up Stephen Leaney consoled himself with positive thoughts after losing out to Jim Furyk on Sunday.

Jim Furyk described his US Open victory – his first major – as “beyond my dreams”.

US Open Leaderboard

Tom Watson was left on his own out in front at the United States Open today when joint overnight leader Brett Quigley three-putted the first hole of his second round.

TIGER WOODS breezed into the quarter-finals of the Accenture world matchplay championship at La Costa in California.

Tiger Woods was off to a flying start against Australian Stephen Leaney in their Accenture world match play championship third-round clash at La Costa in California today.

Volvo order of merit after Carlsberg Malaysian Open

Rain and fog prevented Tiger Woods marking his US tour return in style – but Northern Ireland’s Darren Clarke managed a hole-in-one before bad weather brought the first round to an early close at the Buick Invitational in La Jolla today.

Order of Merit:

COLIN MONTGOMERIE last night cast fresh doubt on his participation in the Ryder Cup despite a top-10 finish in the £1.8 million Linde German Masters.

Australian Stephen Leaney's victory at the Linde German Masters today lifted him from 38th to 10th on the Order of Merit to confirm his place in next week's lucrative World Golf Championships-American Express Championship at Mount Juliet.

Stephen Leaney held off the challenge of Alex Cejka to win the German Masters in Cologne.

Paul Casey justified Sam Torrance's decision to seriously consider him for a Ryder Cup wild card after a stunning course-record 62 in the Linde German Masters.

Nick Faldo today left himself with plenty to do to qualify for next week’s $5.5m (€5.5m) American Express Championship in the Linde German Masters.

Retief Goosen went into today’s second round of the Linde German Masters perfectly placed to step up his bid to retain his status of European number one.

EUROPEAN captain Sam Torrance received a timely form and fitness boost ahead of next month’s Ryder Cup, despite making an early exit from the Linde German Masters.

Retief Goosen boosted his chances of retaining his crown as European number one with a superb opening round in the German Masters.

Scotland’s Alastair Forsyth captured his first European Tour title with a dramatic play-off victory in the Carlsberg Malaysian Open.

Scotland’s Alastair Forsyth has a two-shot lead going into tomorrow’s final round of the Carlsberg Malaysian Open.

Ernie Els showed his class yet again to regain command of the Heineken Classic at Royal Melbourne.

Tiger Woods put himself back into contention with a third round 67 in the rain-affected New Zealand Open.

Australian duo James McLean and Stephen Leaney are tied for the lead on seven under par after the second round of the New Zealand Open this morning.

Tiger Woods lies eight strokes behind James McLean and Stephen Leaney after making the halfway cut in the New Zealand Open.

Langer and Jacobson share the lead in the German Masters in Cologne.

Bernhard Langer maintained his overnight lead at the German Masters in Cologne and goes into the final day with a one-shot advantage over the field.

Bernhard Langer still leads the pack by two strokes in the Linde German Masters.

Darren Clarke improved on yesterday's 68 by a shot, to finish the day on nine under par, four shots off the pace.

Bernhard Langer stormed into the lead in the second round of the German Masters in Cologne.

England's Warren Bennett has been forced to give up a share of the lead in the Dutch Open.