He may be only a kid but from what we have already seen of Jordan Spieth, it is enough to be unsurprised that the Texan will not be taking a Masters victory for granted this weekend.

You can’t say that Tom Watson doesn’t change with the times.

His hands had been back on the Wanamaker Trophy barely two hours, but Rory McIlroy was already keenly aware of his place in golfing history and, more importantly, the next landmarks he wanted to reach in the game.

All-American nice guy Matt Kuchar playfully told the media to “suck it” after clinching the US PGA Players Championship and its $1.7 million (€1.3m) winner’s cheque.

Rory McIlroy was just two years old when Fred Couples pulled on his Green Jacket at Augusta National in 1992.

STEVE STRICKER joined an elite club of 23 members when he shot a Major championship record-equalling round of 63 for his first round at the PGA Championship.

LUKE DONALD risked carrying a jinx into The Masters at Augusta after winning yesterday’s par-3 contest.

OF the 12 Irishmen who have competed in the Masters, the best finishes were achieved by Pádraig Harrington, tied fifth in 2002, and Darren Clarke, who shared eighth place in 1998.

IT is a good thing for American golf that Paul Azinger likes to settle in for an evening in front of his flat panel television and watch documentaries on military strategy.

THEY used to call Raymond Floyd “The Stare” but after this Ryder Cup the copyright on steely-eyed gazes well and truly belongs to Ian Poulter.

PAUL AZINGER would have been forgiven for giving Hunter Mahan a wide berth when it came to selecting his four captain’s picks.

COULD this US Open have been any better, any more exciting or any more suspenseful?

Nick Dougherty has turned to three-time champion Nick Faldo for an expert opinion in the countdown to his Masters debut at Augusta National this week.

Tim Herron is aware he faces a difficult fight to hold on to his one-shot lead after two rounds of the Pebble Beach National Pro-Am.

Padraig Harrington is keen to add the US PGA to his Open success when the event starts at Southern Hills tomorrow.

IT ISN’T often the temperature becomes the main topic of conversation in the lead-up to a major golf championship but that has been very much the case here over the past few days.

For Seve Ballesteros, the golf course, in competition, is where he is meant to be. Simon Lewis found him loving his new challenge.

Paul McGinley has been talking of his 'relief' at qualifying for the European Ryder Cup team.

Padraig Harrington insisted he would be trying his hardest at Augusta this afternoon. But the same could not be said of every player at the Masters.

No player competing in the Masters this year has to worry about carrying a jinx.

Darren Clarke has been paired with Tiger Woods and Lee Westwood with Vijay Singh for the first two rounds of the Masters on Thursday and Friday.

Padraig Harrington will be chasing an unprecedented hat-trick at Augusta tomorrow – even if some people are wishing he would be find something else to do.

Hal Sutton today named 50-year-old Jay Haas and Stewart Cink to complete his team for the US' attempt to win back the Ryder Cup in Detroit next month.

Tee-off times in the second round of the United States Open golf championship at Shinnecock Hills, New York, on Friday.

Tee-off times in the first two rounds of the United States Open golf championship at Shinnecock Hills, New York, on June 17-18 (USA unless stated, all times Irish time):

Everything seemed so straightforward back in the good old days. The good old days of 2002, that is.

Tee-off times in the first two rounds of the United States Open golf championship at Shinnecock Hills, New York, on June 17-18 (USA unless stated, all times Irish time):

TIGER WOODS, Phil Mickelson and all the other long but wayward hitting golfers have been warned.

Bob Charles, who has not won in eight years, put himself in position to make golf history.

BEING at the Masters is one thing. Caddying for Pádraig Harrington another. But when our own Charlie Mulqueen guided Ireland's finest to victory in Wednesday's Par 3 tournament, he left the course with mixed feelings.

PADRAIG HARRINGTON could well have one of the biggest galleries in the first two rounds after the US Masters draw paired him with world number two Vijay Singh and John Daly.

Colin Montgomerie and Bernhard Langer today carried on where they left off in last year’s Ryder Cup on the opening day of the UBS Cup in Georgia.

Ireland’s Padraig Harrington will have to end 43 years of history as well as Tiger Woods’ quest for an unprecedented third straight victory to win the Masters this week.

NICK FALDO can be curt and very much to the point.

STEVE Williams, caddy to Tiger Woods, has spoken of how close his boss was to quitting the US Tour and coming to play in Europe instead.

New Zealander Michael Campbell will be looking to join a very select band of men when he tees off in the Heineken Classic at Royal Melbourne tomorrow.