Laois may have accounted for initial favourites Dublin in the first round, but very few outside their own camp are giving them any chance of overcoming Kilkenny.

Birdies at the fourth and fifth holes kept Sergio Garcia on course for a runaway victory in his home Castello Masters today.

The longest barren spell of Sergio Garcia’s career looks certain to end in front of his home fans in Castellon tomorrow.

Sergio Garcia and Alex Noren were both finding it hard to follow up their second rounds 63s when the Castello Masters resumed in Spain today.

Jose Maria Olazabal has said he expects Sergio Garcia to be in his Ryder Cup team next year – and he has now seen for himself that Swede Alex Noren might well be in Chicago as well.

It was a case of ’Home Sweet Home’ today as Sergio Garcia took a giant stride towards his first victory for almost three years.

Northern Ireland’s Michael Hoey has his sights on a second successive victory after an opening 67 at the Castello Masters in Spain.

MICHAEL HOEY returned to competition for the first time since his stunning Alfred Dunhill Links triumph and immediately ignited hopes of a second successive Tour victory in the Castellon Masters in Spain.

PAUL CUTLER crashed out of the first stage of the European Tour Qualifying dream last night after a thoroughly disappointing few days at Frilford Heath in Oxfordshire.

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”.

Big-hitting Spaniard Alvaro Quiros made light of blustery conditions to birdie the first two holes and lead the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth today.

Louis Oosthuizen shares the lead with Markus Brier heading into tomorrow’s final round of the Africa Open after a four-under-par round of 69 on day three handed him a 13-under total in East London.

TWELVE months ago, Rory McIlroy arrived in Dubai leading the Euro-pean Tour order of merit but was caught on the line by the fast finishing Lee Westwood.

Martin Kaymer’s made a rocky start in his bid to claim the world number one ranking at the Andalucia Valderrama Masters in Sotogrande today.

Europe Ryder Cup captain Colin Montgomerie has named Padraig Harrington, Luke Donald and Edoardo Molinari as his three wild card picks to face America at Celtic Manor on October 1-3.

Europe’s Ryder Cup race might yet come down to the final hole at Gleneagles tomorrow – a hole on which England’s Chris Gane scored 17 just seven years ago.

Fog suspended play early in the second round of the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles today.

THE bush telegraph was humming in the Scottish Highlands last night with speculation increasing that Pádraig Harrington could miss out on a Ryder Cup “wild card” pick.

IT IS little wonder that Colin Montgomerie’s concentration levels suffer now and then, given all the rumours and reports concerning his private life. He was at it again yesterday, when stating Edoardo Molinari would be next in line for a Ryder Cup place should Lee Westwood have to withdraw because of a leg injury.

EDOARDO MOLINARI is the favourite among those European Tour members who believe at least one of their number should be among Colin Montgomerie’s “wild card” picks for Europe’s Ryder Cup team.

Simon Dyson refused to let two late bogeys dampen his spirit in the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles today.

Simon Dyson’s “win or bust” attempt to grab a Ryder Cup place saw him charge into the early first-round lead at the final qualifying event today.

A year-long marathon to make Europe’s Ryder Cup team entered the final few laps at Gleneagles today, but 46-year-old Miguel Angel Jimenez did not appear to be feeling the strain.

COLIN MONTGOMERIE last night insisted that he hasn’t made up his mind on which of the contenders battering down his door for Ryder Cup places would gain the three wild card picks.

Colin Montgomerie knows the players he currently wants as his Ryder Cup wild cards, but is prepared to have his mind changed before he names them on Sunday.

MIGUEL ANGEL JIMENEZ has chosen to fight for a Ryder Cup place at Glen-eagles this week after canceling plans to attend his nephew’s wedding.

Sweden’s Peter Hanson is up to 40th in the world, a rise of nine places, with his victory at the Czech Open.

SWEDE Peter Hanson leapt from 15th to eighth in Europe’s Ryder Cup race after winning a dramatic and nerve-wracking Czech Open with an 18-foot play-off putt with Ireland’ Peter Lawrie and England’s Gary Boyd.

Swede Peter Hanson leapt from 15th to eighth in Europe’s Ryder Cup race after winning a dramatic and nerve-wracking Czech Open with an 18-foot play-off putt today.

Scotland’s Stephen Gallacher continued his fine form this summer with an early hat-trick of birdies when the Czech Open resumed today.

The two-stroke penalty imposed on Bradley Dredge at the Czech Open late yesterday did not receive the same headlines as the one given to Dustin Johnson in the US PGA Championship last Sunday.

THIRTEEN players are separated by only two shots at the halfway stage of the Czech Open – and they include two of the men chasing a Ryder Cup place.

Europe’s “Gang of Four” have been given something to think about not just by how Swede Peter Hanson played at the Czech Open yesterday, but also what he said afterwards.

FORMER European vice-captain, Des Smyth is supportive of Pádraig Harrington’s decision not to return to Europe and endeavour to qualify automatically for the Ryder Cup.

Peter Hanson lurks as the biggest danger to first round leader Shiv Kapur at the Czech Open – and to Paul Casey in the Ryder Cup race.

England’s Simon Dyson shook off jet lag and boosted his Ryder Cup hopes with four closing birdies when the Czech Open began at the Prosper Resort in Celadna today.

Indian Shiv Kapur had six successive birdies and raced into an early three-stroke lead in the Czech Open at the Prosper Resort in Celadna today.

UNDER normal circumstances Paul Casey would not be paying close attention to what is happening at the Czech Open.

Miguel Angel Jimenez’s joy at seeing Martin Kaymer win the United States PGA title on Sunday was not only because he likes the young German.

Simon Dyson today provided the starkest contrast imaginable to Europe’s stay-away Ryder Cup stars.

The final shoot-out for places in Europe’s Ryder Cup team does not look like having the cast list that captain Colin Montgomerie anticipated.

Sergio Garcia is down to 50th in the world and is in an even more precarious Ryder Cup position than Tiger Woods.

Padraig Harrington remains just outside an automatic Ryder Cup qualifying place despite finishing joint ninth at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational in Akron.

THE final leaderboard at the 3 Irish Open had a significant impact on the shape of Europe’s Ryder Cup team with the showdown against the United States at Celtic Manor now just eight weeks away.