THE MONTGOMERIE course at Carton House near Maynooth, Kildare is set to be confirmed today as the venue for next year’s Irish Open.

YOU could draw a strong similarity in the pitching and rolling of the boat Darren Clarke was aboard last Monday and the rocking nature of the unique 17th hole island green at the Amata Spring Country Club at this week’s Thailand Golf Championship.

Rory McIlroy and Graeme McDowell finally have the chance this week to make up for the disappointment of losing the World Cup by one shot two years ago.

RORY MCILROY has set up the possibility of a special Sunday for himself and girlfriend Caroline Wozniacki.

Welshman Stephen Dodd and German Marcel Siem were joint leaders after the second day’s play at the KLM Open in the Netherlands.

WELSHMAN Stephen Dodd shared the first-round lead with Spaniard Jose Manuel Lara after carding six-under 65’s at the Sicilian Open yesterday.

Nine of Europe’s triumphant Ryder Cup side – plus captain Colin Montgomerie - returned to action at Kingsbarns today.

PGA Championship winner YE Yang needed just two final-round birdies to win the Volvo China Open by two shots today at a damp Jinji Lake International Golf Club today.

A timely chip-in pushed Finland's Mikko Ilonen into a slender one-shot lead ahead of Korean duo YE Yang and Kim Do-hoon and Jamie Donaldson midway through a see-saw third round at the Volvo China Open today.

Evergreen Spaniard Miguel Angel Jimenez putted his way into a share of the lead alongside Stephen Dodd midway through the second round of the Dubai Desert Classic.

Defending champion Rory McIlroy and Miguel Angel Jimenez edged ahead at the top of a tightly congested Dubai Desert Classic leaderboard midway through the second morning at an overcast Emirates Golf Club.

RORY McILROY scored full marks on two counts in carding a four under par 68 on a sand-whipped opening day defence of his Omega Dubai Desert Classic title and then his knowledge of Corey Pavin’s USA Ryder Cup vice-captains.

Defending champion Rory McIlroy shared a six-way tie for the lead after the first round of the Dubai Desert Classic.

Alvaro Quiros, Stephen Dodd, Daniel Vancsik and Paul Lawrie share a one-stroke lead midway through the opening round of the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship today.

Race to Dubai contenders Lee Westwood and Rory McIlroy headline the field at the Hong Kong Open but smaller battles will also unfold in Fanling this week.

MARTIN KAYMER has given himself the chance to regain the European Tour number one spot in his first event back from breaking toes in a go-kart crash.

Martin Kaymer has given himself the chance to regain the European Tour number one spot in his first event back from breaking toes in a go-kart crash.

Justin Rose, unsure what the future holds for him on the European Tour, took a big step towards easing his worries with a seven under par 65 in the Portugal Masters today.

The full list of 28 teams for golf’s World Cup in China on November 26-29 has now been confirmed.

THOMAS BJORN, chairman of the European Tour players’ committee, has heavily criticised Pádraig Harrington for his reaction to a possible tightening up of membership rules.

Retief Goosen remained the man to catch at the BMW International Open in Munich today.

Stephen Dodd is not ready yet to say he is gunning for a Ryder Cup cap on home soil next year, but just to be news again on the European Tour is a huge step in the right direction.

THIRTY-NINE year-old Frenchman Christian Cevaer held his head while all around were losing theirs to win the European Open by a shot from England’s Steve Webster, the Scot Gary Orr and Spain’s Alvaro Quiros at a sunny London Club yesterday.

Rory McIlroy, golf’s most gifted 20-year-old, went off to watch the final of “Britain’s Got Talent” tonight after giving himself another chance for his second European Tour victory.

Ryder Cup Dane Soren Hansen moved into contention for the European Open at the London Club in Kent today – and also witnessed something he has never seen before.

Stephen Dodd mixed eight birdies with six bogeys in a real rollercoaster ride at the European Open today – 24 hours after driving all the way from Kent to Wales thinking he had missed the halfway cut.

After a nightmare season in which he has made only four cuts in 21 tournaments and never had a single top-40 finish, Welshman Stephen Dodd’s career is suddenly on the up again.

PAUL CASEY grabbed his third win of the year yesterday in the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth.

France’s Thomas Levet has a two-stroke lead going into the final round of the Spanish Open in Girona.

Damien McGrane overcame a bogey at the first to make a solid start to the defence of his Volvo China Open title as four birdies saw the Irishman move to three under par through 11 holes.

Ryder Cup wild card Ian Poulter will lead England’s challenge for the World Cup at Mission Hills in China at the end of November.

South African Hennie Otto burst clear of the field at the Madeira Islands Open on Friday after a two-and-a-half-hour delay caused by gusts of up to 35mph.

Birdies at the 14th and 16th holes lifted Welshman Bradley Dredge into a share of third place after strong winds delayed the Madeira Islands Open for two and a half hours today.

Germany’s Sven Struver leads South African Hennie Otto by one after a six-under-par opening round of 66 in the Madeira Islands Open at Santo da Serra today.

England’s John Bickerton, whose third European Tour victory in December came courtesy of an amazing collapse by Ernie Els, was among the early leaders in the Madeira Islands Open at Santo da Serra today.

Missing out on this week’s World Golf Championships in Miami might prove to be a blessing in disguise for Welshman Bradley Dredge if he earns another trip to The Masters.

The USA look set to retain outright top spot on the Omega Mission Hills World Cup leaderboard for the final day as they stayed ahead towards the end of the third round.

Scotland and Wales joined a congested group at the top of the Omega Mission Hills World Cup leaderboard as the opening round headed towards a close today.

German rookie Martin Kaymer equalled the lowest round of the European Tour season with a spectacular 11-under-par 61 today.

Justin Rose was happy to be able to start the Portugal Masters in Vilamoura today – but not so happy when one loose shot undid the perfect start.

Justin Rose needs a top-two finish in the Portugal Masters which starts tomorrow to take the lead in the European Tour Order of Merit race.

The complete line-up of players for golf’s World Cup in China on November 22-25 has been announced.

New US Open champion Angel Cabrera and four of Europe's Ryder Cup heroes last year found themselves being overshadowed when the spotlight fell back on the K Club near Dublin today.

New US Open champion Angel Cabrera on Thursday starts his bid to become European Open champion as well – and only four of last year’s Ryder Cup team are able to stop him.