An eight-under-par round of 63 helped the in-form Richard Sterne set the early pace on the opening morning of the Joburg Open.

The list of illustrious casualties was of no comfort to Ballymena’s Chris Devlin as he limped away from the European Tour Qualifying School facing an uncertain future after a devastating quadruple bogey eight wrecked his tour dream.

Simon Thornton loves the challenge, but David Higgins believes you’d have to be mad to say you enjoy the experience of battling for your livelihood in the marathon European Tour Qualifying School.

Five Irish golfers, Waterville’s David Higgins, Ulstermen Chris Devlin and Gareth Shaw, Dubliner Niall Kearney and Yorkshire-born Simon Thornton, will be among a group of 150 hopefuls seeking 25 places on the 2013 European Tour when the final Tour School takes place over six days at the Catalunya complex near Barcelona beginning next Saturday.

A FINAL hole bogey and a brilliant finish by Austrian Hans Peter Bacher ended David Higgins’ dream of a Tour return at the European Tour Qualifying School Finals at PGA Catalunya Resort in Spain.

DAVID HIGGINS suffered a huge reverse in his bid to win back his tour card when he crashed to a four over 74 in the third round of the European Tour Qualifying School finals at PGA Catalunya Resort.

DAVID HIGGINS believes his vast experience will stand to him as he bids to end his seven-year itch and clinch his return to the European Tour at the “dreaded” Qualifying School Finals at PGA Golf de Catalunya.

Rory McIlroy still has every reason to think this could be a special two weeks for himself and girlfriend Caroline Wozniacki.

RORY McILROY shares the lead at the halfway stage of the Omega European Masters in Switzerland — the first qualifying event for next year’s Ryder Cup.

Rory McIlroy shares the lead at the halfway stage of the Omega European Masters in Switzerland – the first qualifying event for next year’s Ryder Cup.

Nick Dougherty continued to lead the Omega European Masters after five holes of his second round in Switzerland today – but he was not on his own at the top any more.

England’s Nick Dougherty finally had something to smile about this season when he began the Ryder Cup race today with an eight-under-par 63 at Crans-sur-Sierre.

RORY McILROY showed no ill-effects from his recent wrist injury as he fired a 65 to tie for second place after the opening day of the European Masters in Switzerland.

Sixteen years after his unbeaten part in sending Tiger Woods to Walker Cup defeat, England's Mark Foster is hoping to seal a return to team golf in real style this weekend.

Ireland’s Peter Lawrie was setting the pace for the second week running when the Johnnie Walker Championship began after a 160-minute fog delay at Gleneagles 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.

Sweden’s Henrik Stenson and South African George Coetzee share the lead at the halfway stage of the BMW International Open in Munich.

Paul McGinley has received a late call-up into tomorrow’s Open Championship qualifier at his home course Sunningdale – thanks to fellow Dubliner Peter Lawrie.

Former world number one Vijay Singh has pulled out of the Open Championship qualifying event at Sunningdale on Monday.

CRESTFALLEN glamour golfer Nick Dougherty is facing a stiff fine after taking a club to a tee marker during the first day of the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth.

Luke Donald was paid a huge compliment by Colin Montgomerie today after a masterful 64 at windy Wentworth left England’s world number two feeling “a little bit invincible”.

The Irish trio of Gareth Maybin, Darren Clarke and Graeme McDowell have all enjoyed impressive starts to the Singapore Masters at Sentosa Golf Club today.

European Tour big-hitter Nicolas Colsaerts equalled his lowest score on the circuit with an opening eight-under-par 62 in the KLM Open at Hilversum today.

An eagle on the 18th gave England’s Kenneth Ferrie an opening round of six under par at the KLM Open in Hilversum, but it was playing partner Nicolas Colsaerts who claimed the early clubhouse lead.

Spain’s Alvaro Quiros conceded defeat in his Ryder Cup bid after a third round 73 in the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles today.

It was the turn of Welshman Rhys Davies to be put under the microscope by Colin Montgomerie today – but it was the Ryder Cup captain who made the better start to the Alstom French Open at Le Golf National near Paris.

Ireland’s Shane Lowry equalled one of Nick Faldo’s records with a sizzling eight-under-par 62 at Sunningdale Old in the first round of Open Championship qualifying today.

Seventeen-year-old Matteo Manassero, one of the stars of last year’s Open, made a brilliant start today to his bid to be part of the action at St Andrews next month.

Welsh rookie Rhys Davies drew first blood against Ryder Cup ace Luke Donald in their Madrid Masters third round head-to-head today.

Four days after Rhys Davies won in Morocco, the Welsh flag was flying high again in Malaga this morning – thanks this time to Bradley Dredge.

Former Ryder Cup star David Howell, down from ninth in the world four years ago to his current 408th, gave flashes of his old brilliance when the European Tour finally hit European soil today.

PETER LAWRIE celebrated his father-in-law’s 60th birthday by grabbing a share of second place on the opening day of the Hassan II Trophy in Morocco.

Joe Durant moved two shots clear of the his nearest rival with a five-under-par 66 in the second round of the PGA Tour Mayakoba Golf Classic on Friday.

TREVOR FISHER JUNIOR held the lead at the halfway stage of the Africa Open after matching his opening-day effort with another 66 in East London to head into the weekend on 14-under-par.

Trevor Fisher Jr held the lead at the halfway stage of the Africa Open after matching his opening-day effort with another 66 in East London to head into the weekend on 14-under-par.

A storming finish to his round enabled Trevor Fisher Jnr to share a five-way tie at the top of a clustered leaderboard after day one of the Africa Open in East London today.

Darren Clarke is keen to put a disappointing 12 months behind him when he tees off at this week's Africa Open in East London tomorrow.

Europe’s leading money winner Rory McIlroy and Ian Poulter are both at career-high places in the world rankings as they enter the season-ending Dubai World Championship.

Irish Open winner Shane Lowry shared second spot at the World Golf Championships-HSBC Champions in Shanghai today, carding an opening day 66 to sit at six under.

American Nick Watney tied the course record with a virtually flawless eight-under-par 64 to open up a two-stroke lead at the World Golf Championships-HSBC Champions in Shanghai today.

There are now more Europeans than Americans in the world’s top 20 after tournament victories for Ian Poulter and Ross Fisher took them to 15th and 17th respectively – both personal bests.

England’s Ross McGowan has moved up 61 places to 116th in the world rankings after his Madrid Masters victory.

SIMON DYSON finally leapt into the big time on the European Tour yesterday with the round of his life.

THOMAS BJORN did not have much to smile about in France last week, but what a difference it was in Scotland yesterday. Bjorn, non-playing captain of the Continental Europe team hammered by Britain and Ireland, began the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship with an eight-under-par 64 at Kingsbarns.