Leona Maguire is set to play the first 'major' of her career.

Royal Portrush’s Stephanie Meadow posted a bogey-free 66 (-6) in the first round of the Danielle Downey Credit Union Classic to put herself one behind leader Csicsi Rozsa.

Here's a full recap on how Team Ireland got on yesterday in Rio.

After the heroics of Ireland's race walkers - Rob Heffernan, Alex Wright and Brendan Boyce - yesterday, it's the turn of Ireland's competitors in the golf, triathlon and modern pentathlon today.

Here's a full recap on how Team Ireland got on yesterday in Rio.

For all the hand-wringing within golf surrounding the absenteeism from the Olympics of the highest ranked players in the men’s game, there are plenty of grateful replacements delighted to fly the flag for their sport and embrace the spirit of the Games in Rio this week.

Rory McIlroy will go into today’s third round of the 145th Open Championship at Royal Troon eight shots behind leader Phil Mickelson but believing winning a second Claret Jug in three years is not beyond the realms of possibility.

Confidence is key. Just ask Pádraig Harrington, who shot four sub-par rounds in Italy last week and still finished a modest 33rd in the Italian Open.

The wheels of progress turn very slowly at Portmarnock but if the sticky issue of women members is ever resolved, Shane Lowry will join Rory McIlroy at the top of the queue for the return of the Irish Open to what many consider to be Ireland’s blue riband links.

Stephanie Meadow and Graeme McDowell both won nine times during their US college careers but Leona Maguire could blow their records out of the water after a sensational start to life at Duke University in North Carolina.

McIlroy turns to dad for masterclass

Boxer Katie Taylor has been crowned The Irish Times/Irish Sports Council ‘Sportswoman of the Year 2014’ for her exceptional achievement in winning a record breaking sixth European title and her fifth consecutive world title.

Imagine Rory McIlroy and Stephanie Meadow teeing it up together for Ireland at the 2016 Olympics in Rio?

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.

Korea’s IK Kim cruised to victory in the ISPS Handa Ladies European Masters at Buckinghamshire Golf Club yesterday.

Stephanie Meadow’s amazing third place in the US Women’s Open on her professional debut at Pinehurst No.2 was a dream start to her career in the paid ranks but the Irishwoman saw it as a reward for her endeavour rather a shock success.

Michelle Wie claimed the first Major title of her career with a two-shot victory in the US Women's Open that will go a long way to silencing her critics.

Congratulations to Tricia Mangan on her appointment as the next high performance director of the Irish Ladies Golf Union (ILGU).

Ireland finally produced their best golf in the European Team Championship week, winning their final matches in all four tournaments.

Ireland suffered an inexplicable singles collapse at Silkeborg in Denmark yesterday to crash out of contention for the European Men’s Amateur Team Championship.

A brilliant two under par 70 by former British champion Stephanie Meadow gave Ireland a chance of qualifying for the top flight — the last eight — in the European Ladies Team Championship at Fulford, York today.

Two Irish internationals made history for the wrong reasons in the Ladies British Open Amateur Championship at Machynys Peninsula in South Wales yesterday.

There is one word of warning Ada O’Sullivan will offer to whoever succeeds her as the ILGU’s first High Performance director when her four-year term ends next January: your golf game will suffer.

One of Ireland’s Masters contingent this week will be Alan Dunbar, using his exemption as British Amateur champion.

Rory McIlroy may be gearing up for his seasonal debut on the European Tour but it is PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem who has most to look forward to from the world No 1’s 2013 schedule.

The Irish Ladies Golf Union is sending a strong international side to compete in the Women’s World Amateur Team Championships at the Gloria Golf Resort in Antalya, Turkey, (September 27-30).

Ireland’s hopes of a first Women’s Home International victory since 2004 were dealt a hammer blow on the opening day as the hosts were trounced 9-0 by England at Cork Golf Club.

Ireland will go into today’s Women’s Home Internationals at Cork Golf Club with team captain Claire Coughlan-Ryan determined her side can make a mockery of the world rankings.

Ireland’s women selectors have sprung a surprise by dropping Lisa Maguire from the side for the World Amateur Team Championships in Turkey next month.

Five days after winning the Ladies British Open Amateur title, Stephanie Meadow this afternoon steps onto the biggest stage of her career so far and rubs shoulders with the greatest professionals in the world in the US Women’s Open Championship.

Stephanie Meadow kept the Royal Portrush bandwagon rolling at the weekend as she claimed the Ladies’ British Open Amateur Championship title, the first Northern Ireland player to do so since Maureen Madill lifted the trophy at Nairn 33 years ago.

Curtis Cup heroine Stephanie Meadow will today bid to become the first Irish winner of the Ladies British Open Amateur Championship since Lilian Behan 27 years ago.

Teenage star Leona Maguire is in position at Carnoustie to grab a prominent place in the matchplay stages of the Ladies British Open Amateur Championship after yesterday’s second qualifying round.

Slieve Russell’s Leona Maguire defeated Royal Portrush’s Stephanie Meadow by two holes to win her second Irish Women’s Close Amateur Championship at Co. Louth yesterday.

Adrian Morrow flew home from Austria yesterday on cloud nine after conquering a top class field to clinch the European Seniors Amateur Championship.

Rory McIlroy will have Michael Bannon as his full time coach after the Bangor professional announced he would leave his club job to hit the road with the reigning US Open champion.

Stephanie Meadow was the heroine as Great Britain and Ireland regained the Curtis Cup — 16 years after last winning it at Killarney.

Rory McIlroy finished with three birdies in his last four holes and held a one-shot lead as the second round of the FedEx St Jude Classic drew to a close last night.