Only three players are under par at the halfway stage of the Irish PGA Championship at the European Club south of Dublin – and Padraig Harrington is the best of them.

Padraig Harrington is the new clubhouse leader after a round two 70 at the Irish PGA Championship in Wicklow today.

A MASSIVE improvement in his short game had Pádraig Harrington in a far more positive frame of mind after yesterday’s opening round of the Ladbrokes.com Irish PGA Championship at the European Club.

Padraig Harrington was one behind leader Leslie Walker after a three-under-par 68 in the opening round of the Irish PGA championship at the European Club south of Dublin today.

WHAT a difference a week makes. Seven days ago, 28-year-old Colm Moriarty from Athlone was relying on invitations to Challenge Tour events as he attempted to get his career back on track after a dismal 2006 season.

COURSE designer Robert Trent Jones once described the 18th hole at Adare as “the finest par five in the world” and it certainly lived up to its billing during yesterday’s first round of the Irish Open at Adare.

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.

AS Scots Marc Warren and Peter Whitefield battled in a three hole play-off at the inaugural Ireland Ryder Cup Challenge in Killarney, the 38-strong Irish contingent were left to reflect on largely disappointing performances.

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.

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

IT was doubles up for Brian Kerley at City West yesterday as he topped the leader board after the PGA Trainees’ pro-am tournament on the Lakes Course and also led in the winning Paddy Power team.

PÁDRAIG HARRINGTON gamely battled his way through the 30 miles per hour winds for 15 holes at The K-Club yesterday - and then went double bogey, bogey, bogey to throw away four shots.

SEVENTEEN Irish golfers face the starter as the 10th Smurfit European Open at The K-Club gets underway this morning.

A DAY in the life of the par threes at Portmarnock.

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.

With one round still to go, Damian Mooney looks a sure-fire winner in the €15,000 Great Northern Hotel pro-am event at Bundoran, having opened up a seven shots gap at the top of the leaderboard.

Damien Mooney put his psychology skills to the test at Bundoran today and came up trumps.

Ireland have an uphill battle during the last round in the PGA of Europe Team Championship at Atalaya Park if they hope to overhaul defending champions and overnight leaders Spain.

Ireland moved up one place to joint seventh after the second round in the 72-holes PGA of Europe Championship at Atalaya Park on the Costa del Sol thanks to a sub-par round of 69 by John Dwyer.

Ireland are six shots behind leaders Spain after the opening round in the PGA of Europe Team Championship at Atalaya Park on the Costa del Sol.

Brendan McGovern maintained his challenge for a high placing in the Starwood PGA of Europe Championship at the Pevero Golf Club in Sardinia with a third round 70 but the Headfort Club professional is still nine shots behind leader Paul Wesselingh.

Brendan McGovern leads the Irish challenge in Sardinia at the halfway stage in the Starwood PGA of Europe Championship after rounds of 70 and 75.

Headfort professional Brendan McGovern has won the PGA Irish Region Order of Merit for the season.

LITTLE progress is reported in the search for a sponsor prepared to maintain the status and reputation of the Irish Open.

Philip Walton shot eight birdies to win the Ashbourne pro-am tournament, sponsored jointly by Polyflor Ireland and Pat's Carpets.

John Dwyer collected the Spar Moran Cup at Royal Dublin but had to survive shootout drama with Neil Manchip after the pair shared a five-under-par 67.

Dundalk Club pro Leslie Walker snatched the PGA Ulster Open Championship title from defending champion John Dwyer at The Hilton Templepatrick after a four holes shootout..

Neil Manchip fired a closing three-under-par 68 at Greenore to win the Killester Travel PGA Challenge Trophy tournament - his second major win of the season.

Leslie Walker's big hitting came into play as he reduced three of the four long holes at Luttrellstown Castle to four shots each time.

Peter Hanna toured the neat little Co Tyrone course at Fintona in five-under-par 67 to win the club’s annual pro-am tournament with three shots to spare over the chasing pack.

Philip Walton showed his old flair and sticking power at Slieve Russell to win the €70,000 Quinn Direct PGA Charity Trophy tournament, one stoke ahead of Francis Howley and Damian McGrane.

Dundalk professional Leslie Walker and Finian Dwyer from Celbridge Driving

Nuremore Club assistant Brian Kerley upstaged most of the seasoned professionals during the first round of the £12,000 PGA Challenge at Greenore.

Dundalk professional Leslie Walker carded a course record of 66 to win the £6,000 Fintona Pro-Am tournament but still had only oine stroke to spare over Stephen Hamill and John Langan.

Leslie Walker staved off a firm challenge from defending champion Eamon

Maxfli Irish Club professionals' championship at Nuremore, first round scores