It will not be in the nature of the tournament host to have slept easily last night on the eve of the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open but his efforts to make this €6.2m European Tour event a success have already earned Paul McGinley the right to relax just a little.

With only a limited number of tickets remaining for the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open this weekend, tournament host Paul McGinley has all the validation he needs that bringing the European Tour to Lahinch was the right call, regardless of which stars tee it up on the prestigious links tomorrow.

Shane Lowry will get his Dubai Duty Free Irish Open campaign underway early on Thursday as part of an illustrious group also featuring Ryder Cup hero Tommy Fleetwood and defending champion Russell Knox.

Tournament host Paul McGinley has insisted this week’s Dubai Duty Free Irish Open can flourish in spite of the absence of leading Irishman Rory McIlroy.

There is no escaping the sense of excitement and expectation not just amongst the members of Lahinch Golf Club but also the whole of the village and West Clare in general as the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open Championship looms this week.

In-form Rory McIlroy leads the Irish charge at Pebble Beach this week after his sensational performance saw him win the Canadian Open last week.

Shane Lowry is tied for second at the RBC Canadian Open after a superb opening round of 64 at the Hamilton Country Club in Ontario last night.

Sergio Garcia’s inclusion as one of Thomas Bjorn’s four captain’s picks for Europe later this month could come to define the success or failure of the Dane’s bid to regain the Ryder Cup from the United States.

Scott Jamieson and Paul Waring share the halfway lead in the Nordea Masters as Thorbjorn Olesen maintained his challenge for a Ryder Cup qualifying place in Gothenburg.

Padraig Harrington won at Carnoustie in 2007 and is the last player to win back-to-back titles.

It is 100 days until the World Amateur Team Championships, which tee off at Carton House on August 29. 

A relaxed Rory McIlroy made the most of a little help from his friends as he tries to end a disappointing season in style in the British Masters.

A relaxed Rory McIlroy made the most of a little help from his friends as he tries to end a disappointing season in style in the British Masters.

Five-time major winner Phil Mickelson has withdrawn from the US Open after good weather ended his slim chances of making a last-minute dash to Erin Hills.

Here's what you need to know.

The Players Stadium course at Ponte Vedra, Jacksonville, Florida, is famous mostly for the par three 17th hole with its infamous island green.

Danny Willett faced a long wait to present his successor as Masters champion with a green jacket, but was at least well placed to watch a potentially thrilling shootout at Augusta National.

World number one Dustin Johnson has withdrawn from the Masters after injuring his back in a fall on Wednesday.

Dustin Johnson will this week attempt to become the first player to win the Masters as world number one since Tiger Woods achieved the feat in 2002.

World number one Dustin Johnson faces a lengthy wait before beginning his bid for a fourth straight victory and a second major title in this week's Masters.

Korean Jeunghun Wang surged into a three-shot lead with seven birdies in the third round of the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters in Doha.

England's Tommy Fleetwood produced a brilliant burst of scoring to claim his second European Tour title in the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship.

Three-time winner Martin Kaymer surged into the halfway lead in the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship.

Lee Westwood feels he let down European captain Darren Clarke after failing to win a point in the Ryder Cup.

Masters champion Danny Willett has claimed his brother Peter’s controversial comments about American fans were correct, following a dismal Ryder Cup debut.

Masters champion Danny Willett has claimed his brother Peter's controversial comments about American fans were right following a dismal Ryder Cup debut.

If you were only interested in the final outcome of the Ryder Cup, then this one was pretty much decided as early as last Friday morning once Europe lost the opening series of foursomes to the USA 4-0.

Rory McIlroy said he needed a paracetamol after a raucous Saturday’s play in the cauldron that was Hazeltine National but you got the feeling that Darren Clarke had the bigger headache because of his underperforming captain’s picks.

The USA are ahead by three going into the final day.

Matt Kuchar is playing alongside Phil Mickelson in the USA's fourballs tussle with Europe this afternoon.

The United States lead Europe 6 1/2 to 5 1/2 after the morning foursomes on day two of the Ryder Cup.

Maybe we have been spoiled by recent European domination but lest we forget, there was a time when Americans made a habit of bullying their way to Ryder Cup success.

The pressure mounts when you’re a wild card selection and have the added stress of feeling the need to justify your place in a Ryder Cup.

Ryder Cup captains Darren Clarke and Davis Love have backed their two top partnerships to get their sides off to a good start at Hazeltine National on Friday.

Do you remember these Ryder Cup moments?

European captain Darren Clarke dropped a massive hint about his pairings for the opening session of the Ryder Cup on the final day of practice.

Darren Clarke last night hit back at Johnny Miller’s criticism of his European Ryder Cup team, pouring scorn on the American’s assertion it was the worst in years.

John McHenry dissects the pick of the Ryder Cup rookies.