Two double bogeys in the first group on the first hole gave an early warning that the second round of The Masters was going to be another tough test today.

IT was interesting to study the body language of the leading players as they completed their practice sessions before yesterday’s final round of the US PGA Championship.

PHIL MICKLESON has been talked about in many terms –exciting and dynamic, pretentious and confounding being some of the extreme descriptions.

UNHERALDED American Keegan Bradley was the toast of Atlanta Athletic Club last night when he captured the 93rd PGA Championships after a three-hole play-off against Jason Dufner.

Lee Westwood and the normally cool Luke Donald were fuming last night as their hopes of a first major title were left hanging by a thread.

RORY McILROY’S hopes of a second Major championship victory in three starts hung in the balance last night after the US Open winner injured his wrist during his opening round at the 93rd PGA Championship.

American Scott Verplank has turned down the chance to act as first reserve in The Open at Sandwich tomorrow.

Phil Mickelson knows how it feels to be ready for The Masters and after victory in Houston he is in that happy place.

PÁDRAIG HARRINGTON headed for Augusta last night in his newly acquired private plane much encouraged by a top ten finish in the Shell Houston Open.

Masters champion Phil Mickelson will head back to Augusta as the man to beat after sealing a superb victory today at the Shell Houston Open.

COREY PAVIN, the US Ryder Cup captain, today announces his four wild cards for Celtic Manor next month well satisfied with the form of most of those who have already qualified were performing in the Deutsche Bank Championship in Boston over the weekend.

The new US Open champion Graeme McDowell will have to wait until just before 2pm on Thursday when he tees off with two former winners of that title, Jim Furyk and Geoff Ogilvy at the Open in St Andrews.

AT a time when it seems like everything is going according to plan for the European Ryder Cup team, it is more than a little ironic and disturbing that Pádraig Harrington finds himself struggling for one of the eight automatic places in Colin Montgomerie’s team.

SIX months ago who would have foreseen the possibility of the European Ryder Cup team facing the Americans in October without Sergio Garcia?

Justin Rose placed the blame for his final-round collapse at the Travelers Championship squarely on his putting as Bubba Watson claimed his maiden PGA Tour victory in Connecticut.

Graeme McDowell ended a 40-year European drought at the US Open and landed his first major on a dramatic final day at Pebble Beach.

Tiger Woods will play with fellow American Matt Kuchar and Korean KJ Choi in the first two rounds of The Masters on Thursday and Friday.

NO Tiger Woods, no Phil Mickelson. Surely then no better opportunity for Lee Westwood to win his first World Golf Championships title.

Europe provides seven of the top 10 seeds in this week’s WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship after Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson both decided not to play.

The wait for Tiger Woods’ return to golf goes on. He will definitely not be playing next week’s WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship in Arizona.

RORY MCILROY has reached a higher position on the world rankings than any other 20-year-old before him.

Masters champion Angel Cabrera will compete in next week’s HSBC Champions event in Shanghai and will therefore be eligible for the Dubai World Championship two weeks later.

Padraig Harrington continued to mine a rich seam of recent form as he got off to a fast start at the Tour Championship in Atlanta today.

PÁDRAIG HARRINGTON heads to the United States for an eighth and last occasion this year, still striving for a first Tour win of the season.

TWO badly hooked tee shots at the 10th and 12th holes cost Pádraig Harrington dearly in the Deutsche Bank Championship at the TPC Norton Course in Boston last night.

Steve Stricker birdied the last two holes to take a dramatic victory in the Deutsche Bank Championship in Boston.

Steve Stricker fired a third-round 65 to share the lead with Retief Goosen and Sean O’Hair going into the final day of the Deutsche Bank Championship.

Overnight leader Padraig Harrington was keeping Tiger Woods at bay as the world number one charged into contention at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational tonight.

Overnight leader Padraig Harrington shot a 69 to maintain his clubhouse advantage as the late wave of starters began their second rounds at the World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational in Ohio.

Padraig Harrington believes last night’s tournament-leading 64 at the World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational was his best round of golf since winning the US PGA Championship almost exactly a year ago.

JUST when it appeared his season was about to collapse under a barrage of missed cuts, Pádraig Harrington blasted a six under par 64 – his lowest round of the season – to grab a two stroke lead in the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational at Firestone Country Club.

Padraig Harrington shot his lowest round of the year to take a two-shot lead on the opening day of the World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational in Ohio.

The weather caused further chaos on day two of the RBC Canadian Open with heavy rain and lightning bringing an early end to proceedings and preventing any players from completing their second rounds at the Glen Abbey Golf Club in Oakville.

IT may sound daft for the bookmakers to make Rory McIlroy favourites for next week’s British Open at Turnberry. But that’s the kind of impression the 20-year-old has made on the golf world. He spoke to golf correspondent Charlie Mulqueen.

Memories of relinquishing his Masters lead over the final holes two months ago spurred Kenny Perry to victory at the Travelers Championship in Connecticut yesterday.

Germany’s Alex Cejka held a commanding clubhouse lead at TPC Sawgrass today as the second round of The Players Championship took shape and some big names flirted with the cut.

Germany’s Alex Cejka was in red-hot form at TPC Sawgrass today as he moved into an early second-round lead at the Players Championship.

Ian Poulter’s good form in the United States continued on the opening day of The Players Championship as he moved into contention at TPC Sawgrass, two shots off the first-round lead held by American Ben Crane.

Defending champion Sergio Garcia made a strong start as The Players Championship got under way at TPC Sawgrass today.

Tiger Woods completed his comeback from knee surgery by winning the Arnold Palmer Invitational in dramatic fashion at the final hole at Bay Hill on Sunday.

Sean O’Hair will start the final round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational with a five-shot lead over Tiger Woods following an arduous day in the wind at Bay Hill.

Davis Love III broke through for his first victory in more than two years by winning the Children’s Miracle Network Classic last night.

Scott Verplank seized control at the Children’s Miracle Network Classic, moving to the top of the leaderboard after a late surge in the second round at Lake Buena Vista.

Troy Matteson used a pair of eagles to vault to the top of the leaderboard at the Children’s Miracle Network Classic after the first round today.