Golf fans will need to be up at the crack of dawn tomorrow to arrive in good time at Fota Island to watch the marquee draw in the first round of the Irish Open Championship.

Graeme McDowell will get Ireland’s challenge at the 2014 Masters up and running tomorrow at Augusta National when he tees off in the opening round of the year’s first major championship at 2.35pm Irish time.

Rory McIlroy and Lee Westwood kept alive their hopes of securing the world No 1 ranking when they cruised into the last 16 of the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship.

LEE WESTWOOD has taken the world number two spot off Rory McIlroy with his seven-shot victory at the Thailand Championship.

Shane Lowry finished sixth in the European Nations Championship at Sotogrande as England's Sam Hutsby beat Spain's Carlos Pigem Xammar to take title at the first extra hole.