David Higgins cruelly came up short in an heroic effort to win the Italian Open in Turin yesterday.

Ireland’s Simon Thornton shot a second round of five under par 67 to claim a share of the halfway lead in the Italian Open Golf Club Torino, Turin yesterday, while Waterville’s David Higgins remained very much in contention, adding a second round 69 to his opening 67 to lie just a shot off the pace.

Stephen Gallacher's three-stroke overnight lead disappeared in two holes on the final day of the Omega Dubai Desert Classic.

England’s Chris Wood made a shaky start in the final round of the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters in Doha today.

Charl Schwartzel, an 11-shot winner in Thailand last weekend, takes a 10-stroke lead into the final round of the Alfred Dunhill Championship in his native South Africa tomorrow.

England’s Steve Webster faced a long wait today to discover just how valuable his second-round 60 was at the Nelson Mandela Championship in Durban.

Ireland's Peter Lawrie this afternoon moved into the lead at the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth.

Thorbjorn Olesen will take a three-shot lead into the final round of the Sicilian Open after firing a superb 67 in blustery conditions at the Verdura Golf & Spa Resort.

Sergio Garcia made it two wins in a row today – but it was far tougher than the first of them.

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.

ENGLAND’S Oliver Fisher kept his cool in the final round to win the Czech Open as he signed for a 69 to win by two shots at the Prosper Golf Resort in Celadna.

Scotland’s Steven O’Hara moved to the top of the leaderboard after a fine start to his third round at the Czech Open.

Peter Lawrie leads a trio of Irishmen paving the way in the opening stages of the first round of the Czech Open.

Indian Jeev Milkha Singh outshone Ireland’s four major stars with a dazzling eight under par 63 when the Irish Open began at Killarney today.

Robert Rock sits two shots clear at the top of the Italian Open leaderboard, but today belonged to Niclas Fasth who shot a blistering eight-under par 64 to claim a share of a second.

THE atmosphere was never going to compare to last October’s Ryder Cup, but Graeme McDowell and Peter Hanson found Celtic Manor a happy hunting ground again yesterday.

SCOTLAND’S Scott Jamieson, playing just the 11th European Tour event of his career, tops the leaderboard after the first round of the Spanish Open in Barcelona.

Scotland's Scott Jamieson, playing just the 11th European Tour event of his career, tops the leaderboard after the first round of the Spanish Open in Barcelona.

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

Tiger Woods is right in contention for a first title anywhere in almost 15 months as the Omega Dubai Desert Classic looked too close to call heading into tomorrow’s final round.

Raphael Jacquelin made the second hole-in-one of the week as he burst onto the leaderboard at the Omega Dubai Desert Classic today.

Five of Colin Montgomerie’s Ryder Cup side have now won since the start of August after Miguel Angel Jimenez survived a late scare to take the Omega European Masters in Switzerland today.

Pony-tailed Spaniard Miguel Angel Jimenez takes a three-stroke lead over Ryder Cup team-mate Edoardo Molinari into the final round of the Omega European Masters in Switzerland.

Seventeen-year-old Matteo Manassero gave Italian golf yet another boost today by setting the early clubhouse target at the Omega European Masters in Switzerland.

Starts do not come much better than the one made by Swede Mikael Lundberg at the Omega European Masters in Switzerland 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.

Spaniard Alejandro Canizares went into the water twice on the last three holes tonight to toss away a three-stroke lead at the Alstom French Open in Paris.

It was the turn of Welshman Rhys Davies to be put under the microscope by Colin Montgomerie today – but it was the Ryder Cup captain who made the better start to the Alstom French Open at Le Golf National near Paris.

Thomas Bjorn will take a three-shot lead into the final day of the Estoril Open after posting a seven-under-par 65 in his third round in Portugal.

THOMAS BJORN and Carlos Del Moral both shot rounds of 65 to share a two-shot lead at the top of the Estoril Open leaderboard at the end of the second day.

Thomas Bjorn and Carlos Del Moral both shot rounds of 65 to share a two-shot lead at the top of the Estoril Open leaderboard at the end of the second day.

Damien McGrane and Luke Goddard retained the lead of the Estoril Open de Portugal after solid starts to their second rounds.

The first results are in at Wentworth – and when it comes to the new-look 18th hole the critics appear to have won the day.

GARETH MAYBIN played the 17th and18th in yesterday’s first round of the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth in eight shots.

Collated on the final day of the Vivendi Trophy with Seve Ballesteros, Continental Europe v Great Britain and Ireland, at St-Nom la Breteche, Paris, France.

Latest positions in the singles at the Vivendi Trophy with Seve Ballesteros, Continental Europe v Great Britain and Ireland, St-Nom la Breteche, Paris, France.

Latest positions in the singles at the Vivendi Trophy with Seve Ballesteros, Continental Europe v Great Britain and Ireland, St-Nom la Breteche, Paris, France.

Paul McGinley achieved just about everything he must have been hoping for in Paris today – off the course as well as on it.

Foursomes positions on the third day of the Vivendi Trophy with Seve Ballesteros, Continental Europe v Great Britain and Ireland, at St-Nom la Breteche, Paris, France, today.

Foursomes positions on the third day of the Vivendi Trophy with Seve Ballesteros, Continental Europe v Great Britain and Ireland, at St-Nom la Breteche, Paris, France, today.

BRITAIN AND IRELAND had the better of things for the second day running and now lead Continental Europe 6-4 at the Vivendi Trophy in Paris.

Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano and Robert Karlsson have beaten Robert Rock and Steve Webster 1 hole.

Miguel Angel Jimenez and Soren Kjeldsen have lost to Anthony Wall and Chris Wood 3&2.

Anders Hansen and Francesco Molinari have beaten Graeme McDowell and Rory McIlroy 3 & 1.