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.

Strong winds halted play on the second day of the Madeira Islands Open at the mountain-top Santo da Serra course 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.

Mark Murless remained in command at the Joburg Open late on Saturday afternoon with a two-stroke lead over Germany’s Sven Struver.

South African Mark Murless was the early pacesetter at the Joburg Open today heading a quartet of players by two shots after completing his round at the Royal Johannesburg and Kensington Golf Club.

Robert-Jan Derksen leads the rain-delayed Mallorca Classic by one from playing partner Jean-Francois Lucquin. Fellow Frenchman Gregory Bourdy set the clubhouse target on nine under after a 64.

Tour winners David Carter, David Park and Sven Struver face a trip to the qualifying school next month after missing the cut in the rain-delayed Mallorca Classic today.

Argentina’s Ariel Canete was top of the third round leaderboard at the Joburg Open when play was suspended at due to lightning in the early afternoon.

Ryder Cup captain Ian Woosnam showed some of his prospective team how it should be done in the Italian Open in Milan today.

Jarmo Sandelin set about rebuilding his career in the European Tour’s qualifying school final in Spain today after spending more than a decade employing a do-it-yourself approach to the game.

Overnight European Tour Qualifying School finals leader Wakefield maintained his place at the top with a second successive 69.

Kariem Baraka, nephew of Ryder Cup captain Bernhard Langer, blazed his way to a superb nine-under-par round of 63 to lead the BMW Russian Open in Moscow by two shots.

A sudden heavy downpour may have done just enough to safeguard Matthew King and Euan Little’s clubhouse joint lead at five under at the BMW Russian Open in Moscow.

Ian Woosnam restored some of his battered pride after going back on his promise to return to a short putter in the first round of the Celtic Manor Wales Open today.

England’s Steve Webster made the most of a cold and blustery start to the South African Airways Open to join four other European Tour regulars in the early lead at Erinvale this morning.

MICHAEL CAMPBELL may be a New Zealand Maori of Scottish extraction but he will always have a warm place in his heart for this country.

Eight players were separated by just one stroke after the overnight leaders all had early bogey trouble in the Nissan Irish Open at Portmarnock today.

Latest leading positions in the second round of the Nissan Irish Open at Portmarnock, Dublin (Gbr and Irl unless stated).

Collated final totals in the French Open at Le Golf National, Paris

England’s Philip Golding, the 40-year-old who has made a record 16 visits to the European tour qualifying school, has a chance to be remembered for something more than that tomorrow.

Thomas Bjorn today spoke of his determination not only to get back among golf’s elite, but also to get back to beating them.

Swede Fredrick Jacobson and Dutchman Maarten Lafeber have increased the number of Europeans competing in next week’s US Open at Olympia Fields near Chicago to 16.

Darren Clarke birdied both closing holes in the second round to regain the pole position he held after his opening 66.

Ireland's Gary Murphy continues to be tied for seventh place at the Italian Open today.

Lee Westwood’s woes were there for all to see today as he ran up an eight and crashed to last place in the Algarve Portuguese Open at Vale do Lobo.

PADRAIG HARRINGTON lived to up to billing as the ‘Mr Consistency’ of the European Tour as he ended day one of the season-opening BMW Asian Open one shot off the lead.

THANKS to Pádraig Harrington’s status as the 9th ranked golfer in the world when the draw was made, Ireland have been seeded third in the World Cup of Golf to be played at Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, on December 10-15.

Padraig Harrington leads Dunhill Championship by one stroke.

Denmark’s Thomas Bjorn has a two-shot lead going into the final round of the BMW International Open in Munich.

Paul Lawrie cruised to his fifth European Tour victory in the weather-disrupted Celtic Manor Resort Wales Open today.

Former Open champion Paul Lawrie takes a five-shot lead into today’s final round of the weather-delayed Celtic Manor Resort Wales Open.

Swede Pierre Fulke eased fears about his form ahead of the Ryder Cup by moving into contention for the £193,000 first prize in the TNT Dutch Open.

David Gilford and Chris Van Der Velde are the leaders of the TNT Dutch Open in Hilversum today.

Even in a tournament lacking a single member of the world’s top 100 the Great North Open came up with a shock winner at Slaley Hall today.

Miles Tunnicliff opened up a four-stroke lead, with 10 holes to play, in the Great North Open at Slaley Hall.

Ireland's Gary Murphy is due to tee off in the next few minutes at the Great North Open at De Vere Slaley Hall today.

Ireland's Gary Murphy is lying in third place in the Great North Open De Vere Slaley Hall.

Bradley Dredge charged into the lead in the Great North Open at Slaley Hall.

Bradley Dredge, Gregory Havret and Sven Struver are battling it out at the top of the leaderboard at the Italian Open.

The leaders at the Italian Open have not yet taken to the course today for the final round.

Sven Struver compiled a brilliant 64 to take a one-shot cushion over France’s Gregory Havret into the final day of the Atlanet Italian Open.

Sven Struver leads after the third round of the Italian Open. The German leads by one from France's Gregory Havret.

Eamonn Darcy set the early pace at the Murphy's Irish Open at Fota Island.