Retief Goosen stayed cool in the desert heat to move two shots clear at the top of the Commercialbank Qatar Masters leaderboard but defending champion Henrik Stenson is hoping the weather takes a turn for the worse over the weekend.

World number eight Ernie Els started his ambitious quest to chase down world number one Tiger Woods in style by winning the SAA Open in his home country.

Golfer Michael Campbell believes the readiness of major players to participate in Asian tournaments is proof that the sport's growing global appeal.

Australia’s Peter Senior secured the winning point on the 18th green as Retief Goosen’s International team won the inaugural Goodwill Trophy at Mission Hills Golf Club today.

Retief Goosen is normally a quiet man. A very quiet man. He does not tend to blast, lash or hit out at anything when he speaks.

PHIL MICKELSON’S face broke into a broad smile when he saw the draw for Sunday’s final round of the Masters.

WORLD number one Tiger Woods accepts even he cannot beat Father Time - but insists his game is good enough to keep him ahead of the chasing pack for a while yet.

World number one Tiger Woods accepts even he cannot beat Father Time – but insists his game is good enough to keep him ahead of the chasing pack for a while yet.

Retief Goosen equalled his own championship record when he demolished Australian Mark Hensby 12 and 11 to reach his first HSBC World Match Play semi-final at Wentworth today.

It will surprise nobody if Sergio Garcia starts the Ryder Cup points race with a victory in Switzerland tomorrow.

World number five Retief Goosen scorched to a course-record 64 on the opening day of the Asian Tour’s Volkswagen Masters – China event at the Jinghua Golf Club in Beijing.

What can I add? They raised phenomenal funds which go to the local Limerick charities and that’s good because much of the money was raised by the people of the city and county and it’s great that it goes back there.

IT isn’t easy for a foreigner to be inducted into the pantheon of great sportsmen in the United States. In golfing terms, you have to be winning tournaments and championships as frequently as Vijay Singh does.

Ernie Els is determined to wipe away the memories of last year’s final round at the US Open with a performance to treasure this weekend.

Adam Scott remains on course for his fifth European Tour victory in the delayed Johnnie Walker Classic in Beijing.

If ever there was a hard act to follow in recent golfing times then Phil Mickelson’s duel with Ernie Els at last year’s Masters was it.

IF ONE of the record number of 20 Europeans competing win the Masters this weekend, it would be the first time one of their number triumphed in a major since 1999.

Charlie Mulqueen speaks with Colin Byrne, caddie to Retief Goosen.

Twenty golfers became millionaires on the European tour this year – in this season alone.

In-coming European tour chief executive George O’Grady today described as “extraordinary” the pressure being put on world number two Ernie Els to play more events in America.

For the first time since their record-breaking win, Europe’s Ryder Cup team are all together at a tournament – the Volvo Masters at Valderrama.

VIJAY isn’t here, Tiger is struggling with injury and the Europeans are hungover from Ryder Cup heroics.

Love at first sight it was not for Phillip Price. Nor second or third sight, come to that.

SUNDAY certainly was some day for the Byrne family from Howth in Co Dublin.

SPANIARD Sergio Garcia put the disappointment of missing out on the Dunlop Phoenix last weekend behind him to record a play-off victory over local hero Retief Goosen and win the Nedbank Challenge at Sun City yesterday.

Retief Goosen knows a thing or two about winning a money title. He also knows how to prevent someone from doing it.

PÁDRAIG HARRINGTON has not given up hope of becoming European number one for the first time despite the “welcome distraction” of his new-born son.

European number one Retief Goosen moved to within one shot of the lead at The Memorial Tournament in Ohio with a second round 67 last night.

INDIA'S Arjun Atwal held off European number one Retief Goosen and an imminent thunderstorm to claim his second European tour title in the Carlsberg Malaysian Open.

India’s Arjun Atwal held off the challenge of European number one Retief Goosen to claim his second European tour title in the Malaysian Open.

Open champion Ernie Els has been named the European Tour’s Asprey Golfer of the Year for the second time.

PÁDRAIG Harrington's European Tour order of merit aspirations were finally dashed at Valderrama yesterday as Retief Goosen protected his lead going into the Volvo Masters without the slightest difficulty.

South African Retief Goosen today clinched his second successive European Order of Merit title – with an admission that he has not played well for all but one week of the last six months.

DES SMYTH and Sam Torrance, who between them have walked something like 30,000 miles on the European tour, looked as fresh as daisies in Spain yesterday.

EUROPEAN order of merit leader Retief Goosen, locked in a rankings battle with Padraig Harrington, stormed from the Club de Campo course yesterday after the Madrid Open first round, furious at being given a slow-play warning.

RETIEF GOOSEN has branded Pádraig Harrington, his rival for the European Order of Merit title, “definitely the slowest player on tour”.

PÁDRAIG HARRINGTON last night revealed that he will leave nothing to chance in his all-out bid to lead the European PGA Tour order of merit this year.

Tiger Woods last night described his third Masters victory as ‘‘awfully special’’.

Jose Maria Olazabal is back at the top of the European Order of Merit.

Ernie Els showed his class yet again to regain command of the Heineken Classic at Royal Melbourne.

South Africa’s Retief Goosen smashed a 28-year-old European Tour record in Perth today, opening up an incredible 13-stroke lead with a round to play in the Johnnie Walker Classic.

Retief Goosen is currently leading the pack in the second round of the Johnnie Walker Classic.

Padraig Harrington, Darren Clarke and Paul McGinley are at the top of the Volvo Masters leaderboard. The Irishmen share the lead with Australia's Adam Scott.

Paul McGinley remains two shots off the pace after today's opening round of the Volvo Masters in Andalucia.