Irish golfers have captured four major championships since 2011 but in that same timeframe, eight of our best and brightest have taken the plunge into the professional ranks.

Seven Irishmen will pursue their Open Championship dream by joining the scramble for 12 golden tickets for Hoylake at four Final Qualifying venues today.

AFTER finishing runner-up in four previous championships, Rory Leonard finally won the big one when he lifted the Radisson-Blu West of Ireland trophy at Rosses Point yesterday.

THE Team Ireland Golf Trust yesterday announced grants worth €217,000 to 17 aspiring men and women pursuing careers on professional tours around the world.

PÁDRAIG HARRINGTON remains very much on course to complete a hat-trick of victories in the Ladbrokes.com Irish Professional Championship at the European Club but there is still no reassurance his game has returned to what it needs to be to make him a contender in next week’s Open Championship at Turnberry.

TWENTY-SIX-YEAR-OLD Peter O’Keeffe from Douglas has been a professional for less than six months but through hard work and perseverance lines up alongside Europe’s elite at Adare this week.

Reigning Irish champion, Shane Lowry scored a sparkling five under par 68 in the final round, to finish on 14-under-par and leading individual player in the Portugal Nations Cup at Vale de Lobo's Ocean Course in the Algarve, while Ireland narrowly lost out to England for the Nations Cup.

Reigning Irish champion, Shane Lowry scored a sparkling six under par 67 in the second round of the Portugal Nations Cup at Vale de Lobo in the Algarve, and supported by team mates Niall Kearney and Simon Ward, Ireland holds a four shot lead over Sweden going into the final round on Monday.

WHILE they celebrated at Clandeboye Golf Club last night after the inclusion of Jonathan Caldwell in the British & Irish team to play the US in the Walker Cup at Royal Co Down on September 9 and 10, there was disappointment at Banbridge when Richard Kilpatrick was omitted.

ULSTER redhead Darren Crowe and Limerick’s Pat Murray will be hoping for better luck over the coming days in the South of Ireland Golf Championship at Lahinch.

Ireland reached the final of the European Men's Amateur Team Golf Championship in Scotland after a dramatic 4-3 win over England today.

The Irish team has made a strong start in the European Amateur Team Championships at Western Gailes in Scotland today.

Muskerry's Niall Turner closed with an eagle three to lead the Irish

The team to represent Ireland in the European Team Championship at Western Gailes Golf Club, Scotland, 7th July 3 and 7:

Clandeboye's Jonathan Caldwell made it a birthday to remember, finishing joint top at the Golfsure Irish Amateur Close at Cork yesterday.

Richard Kilpatrick eagled the last to clinch an impressive eight-shot victory in the East of Ireland Championship at Co Louth today.

Banbridge's Richard Kilpatrick fired a sensational six-under par 66 to scorch into an impressive six-stroke lead at the halfway stage of the East of Ireland Amateur Open Championship at Co Louth.

Limerick's Pat Murray fired a three under par 69 to share the first round lead in the East of Ireland Amateur Championship at Baltray.

Walker Cup hopefuls Simon Ward and Jonathan Caldwell will lead the chase for the East of Ireland Amateur Open at Co Louth on Saturday.

French ace Romain Bechu and England's Jamie Moul shared the Brabazon

Rory McIlroy missed the cut as fellow Ulsterman Richard Kilpatrick moved to within a shot of the lead in the Brabazon Trophy at the Forest of Arden.

Rory McIlroy struggled to a six-over par 78 in the first round of the Brabazon Trophy at the Forest of Arden.

Scotland's Lloyd Saltman grabbed his fourth strokeplay win on the trot with a two-shot victory in the AIB Irish Amateur Open at Royal Dublin.

Rory McIlroy was frustrated with his finish as Banbridge’s Richard Kilpatrick grabbed a share of the halfway lead in the AIB Irish Amateur Open at Royal Dublin.

Rory McIlroy lost his way on the back nine as Czech champion Marek Novy grabbed the first round lead in the AIB Irish Amateur Open at Royal Dublin.

Walker Cup skipper Colin Dalgleish has hailed Holywood star Rory McIlroy as a similar talent to Spanish wonderkid Sergio Garcia.

Rory McIlroy's bid for a third successive Radisson-SAS West of Ireland Championship ended in a dramatic quarter-final defeat at Rosses Point.

Rory McIlroy was in form again today as Ulster secured the Interprovincial Championship crown at Ballyliffin.

Ulster and Leinster today enjoyed convincing Interprovicial victories at the Ballyliffin Golf Club.

Ulster and Leinster both hold comfortable leads at the Interprovincial Championship at Ballyliffin after today's action.

Warrenpoint senior international and former professional Jim Carvill was put out of the North of Ireland Championship in the second round by Ballymena scratch handicapper Alex McCoy at Royal Portrush today.

GRANTS totalling €65,000 were awarded by the Irish Sports Council to leading Irish golfers.

Irish close champion, Rory McIlroy (Holywood) is one of four new caps included in the Ireland team for the Home Internationals which will be played at Royal St. George's Golf Club, Sandwich,England on September 7-9.

Irish Amateur Close Championship at Westport Golf Club

OLIN BROWNE fired a spectacular 59 to grab one of the final spots in the US Open - after almost withdrawing from the qualifying tournament in Maryland.

Brian McElhinney, winner of the British Amateur Championship at Royal Birkdale last weekend heads Ireland’s team for the European Team Championship which will be played over the Hillside course in Southport, England, from June 28 to July 2.

PETER O’KEEFFE and Aaron O’Callaghan, two of the most promising young golfers in Ireland, have been awarded scholarships to the University of South Eastern Louisiana.

Reigning Irish champion Brian McElhinney (North West) will lead the three-man team to

SOUTH of Ireland winner Cian McNamara (Limerick) and runner-up Greg Bowden (Hermitage) are the two new caps in the Irish team for the Home Internationals at Prestwick on September 8-10.

There are two new caps on the team selected to represent Ireland in the men’s Home Internationals from 8th-10th September at Prestwick Golf Club in Scotland.