Padraig Harrington has given himself the chance to once again become the home winner of the Irish Open.

Rory McIlroy was back in the title hunt and Darren Clarke on course to make his first cut of the year – but it was two continentals who were setting the pace on day two of the Irish Open at Royal Portrush.

England’s Mark Foster was the early clubhouse leader as the Irish Open finally returned to the North after a gap of 59 years today.

Rory McIlroy made a nightmare start to his third round at the Irish Open in Killarney today.

There will be no Darren Clarke or Padraig Harrington for the expected huge crowds to cheer on in the last two rounds of the Irish Open in Killarney, but Rory McIlroy and Graeme McDowell plan to fill the void.

Open champion Darren Clarke bogeyed the last hole and was in danger of joining three-time Major winner Padraig Harrington in missing the cut at the Irish Open in Killarney today.

Indian Jeev Milkha Singh remained two ahead after three holes of his second round at the Irish Open in Killarney today, but it was far from plain sailing.

Indian Jeev Milkha Singh outshone Ireland’s four major stars with a dazzling eight under par 63 when the Irish Open began at Killarney today.

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.

IAN POULTER, forced to take time off recently after hurting his knee playing basketball, is having treatment for a neck strain on the eve of the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth.

Ian Poulter, forced to take time off recently after hurting his knee playing basketball, is having treatment for a neck strain on the eve of the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth.

South African Retief Goosen, out of action since The Masters over a month ago after breaking a toe “running around” with his two children, has withdrawn from this week’s BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth.

More than 200 European Tour events and seven years on from his only victory, England’s Mark Foster takes a three-stroke lead into the final day of the Spanish Open in Seville.

Paul Casey recorded yet another hugely impressive win today to reach the quarter-finals of the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship for the second year running in Tucson.

Ian Poulter has not yet thought about what he will say when he next sees Tiger Woods, but he would love it to be: “I’m number two now.”

It was first blood to England’s Oliver Wilson when he faced fourth seed Rory McIlroy in the second round of the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship in Tucson today.

RORY McILROY pulled a brilliant victory from the jaws of defeat when the WGC-Accenture World Match Play Championship began in Tucson yesterday.

Rory McIlroy pulled a brilliant victory from the jaws of defeat when the WGC-Accenture World Match Play Championship began in Tucson today.

A dazzling putting display gave Luke Donald victory over ex-Walker Cup team-mate Graeme McDowell at the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship in Tucson today.

Rory McIlroy’s hopes of getting his Volvo World Match Play challenge back on track suffered an early blow in Spain today.

Paul Casey lost twice on his return to golf in Spain today – and even with another group game still to come, he has no chance of making the semi-finals of the Volvo World Match Play Championship

Lee Westwood is favourite for this week’s Volvo World Match Play Championship in Spain – and with good reason.

MAN marking, to borrow a GAA expression, will be the order of things over the next few week for Europe’s leading golfers, Lee Westwood, Martin Kaymer, Rory McIlroy, and Paul Casey.

American Ryder Cup star Anthony Kim and Indian Jeev Milkha Singh are the latest two names in the 16-strong field for the Volvo World Match Play Championship in Spain in five weeks’ time.

Greg Norman today named 17-year-old Japanese sensation Ryo Ishikawa and out-of-form Australian Adam Scott as his two wild cards for the Presidents Cup in San Francisco on October 8-11.

Last year’s Masters champion Trevor Immelman is not expecting a Presidents Cup call-up from Greg Norman next week – unless he does something truly spectacular in Switzerland first.

Colin Montgomerie might have been disappointed about the shortage of star names at Celtic Manor this week, but he was taking the chance to shine himself.

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.

THIRTY-NINE year-old Frenchman Christian Cevaer held his head while all around were losing theirs to win the European Open by a shot from England’s Steve Webster, the Scot Gary Orr and Spain’s Alvaro Quiros at a sunny London Club yesterday.

Rory McIlroy, golf’s most gifted 20-year-old, went off to watch the final of “Britain’s Got Talent” tonight after giving himself another chance for his second European Tour victory.

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.

NINETEEN year-old Rory McIlroy and Japanese Ryo Ishikawa, almost two years his junior, have been drawn in the last match in tomorrow’s first round of the Masters.

Indian Jeev Milkha Singh is up from 60th to 46th in the world after pushing Padraig Harrington and Ernie Els into joint second place at the Barclays Singapore Open.

Indian Jeev Milkha Singh went from the sublime to the ridiculous when the second round of the Quinn Insurance British Masters resumed after another fog delay at The Belfry today.

The Quinn Insurance British Masters at The Belfry resumed at 7.45am today – but only for two minutes.

Thomas Bjorn, playing his first tournament for 10 weeks, was only a shot off the lead after 12 holes of his first round in the Quinn Insurance British Masters at The Belfry today.

Australian Scott Strange, a complete stranger to the vast majority of golf fans in Europe, remains in control of the Wales Open with a day to go at Celtic Manor.

England’s Nick Dougherty burst into contention for the Wales Open at Celtic Manor today.

Little-known Australian Scott Strange today showed that his opening 63 in the Wales Open at Celtic Manor was no one-off.

Even with a driver that had started to rattle, Sweden’s Johan Edfors set the early pace in the Irish Open at Adare Manor today.

FRED COUPLES has teed up his golf ball 23 times in the Masters and has played the weekend at Augusta National each and every year.

Jeev Milkha Singh has welcomed the introduction of the Indian Masters to the European Tour schedule as he looks to go head-to-head with world number four Ernie Els at the Delhi Golf Club this week.

Colin Montgomerie this morning became the second big name to pull out of the BMW International Open in Munich before the start.