Tournament host Paul McGinley has insisted this week’s Dubai Duty Free Irish Open can flourish in spite of the absence of leading Irishman Rory McIlroy.

Former champion Rory McIlroy made it two wins out of two with a 3&2 victory over South Africa’s Justin Harding on day two of the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play last night.

Rory McIlroy maintained his impressive form in the countdown to the Masters with a second straight victory in the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play but could yet miss out on an eagerly-anticipated showdown with Tiger Woods.

Paul Dunne has not recorded a top-10 finish since April, but put himself in pole position for a second European Tour title thanks to seven birdies in an opening 64 to lead the Turkish Airlines Open in Antalya.

It’s the worst secret in golf and even Pádraig Harrington, one of the most affable men in golf, is tiring of being asked if he’s going to be the next captain of the European Ryder Cup team.

When Thomas Bjorn arrived at Le Golf National at the start of last week, Europe’s captain could not have dreamed he would be reflecting on a landslide victory, nor imagined what a pain in the backside it could become.

Oh captain, my captain!

Well you can rip up the record books, the 42nd Ryder Cup matches will get underway at Le Golf National this morning with a completely new roster of partnerships.

I was fortunate to play a number of French Open tournaments around Le Golf National. It is an outstanding test of golf with a set-up more akin to what you would experience in a major championship than that at a regular tour venue.

Thomas Bjorn faces the first tough decision of his Ryder Cup captaincy as he prepares to name his four wild cards for the contest with the United States.

Olivia Mehaffey defied a stiff southerly wind to give the girls in green a shot at a medal in the World Amateur Team Championships at a wind-blown Carton House.

Scott Jamieson and Paul Waring share the halfway lead in the Nordea Masters as Thorbjorn Olesen maintained his challenge for a Ryder Cup qualifying place in Gothenburg.

Padraig Harrington won at Carnoustie in 2007 and is the last player to win back-to-back titles.

It was blowing a gale in Ballyliffin. Golf balls were oscillating on the green as we were stung by winds of 50mph and horizontal rain, and any and every aerial shot was in the lap of the gods.

Ireland's Padraig Harrington needed to eagle the last to force a play-off but made par and had to settle for fourth place on 16 under.

Considering the amount of travel involved, she could be living the life of a professional. When it comes to golf, Kate Whyte is more than happy to remain amateur. 

Lucas Bjerregaard claimed his first individual European Tour title with an impressive display of front-running in the Portugal Masters today.

Shane Lowry will head into the final day of the Portugal Masters four shots off the lead.

The Irish players are all in danger of missing the weekend at the US PGA Championship.

Rory McIlroy kept his bid for a third US PGA Championship title on track with a remarkable par to start his second round at Quail Hollow.

Rory McIlroy insisted he can't afford to shoot himself in the foot again after he squandered a great start and ended the opening day five shots behind leaders Kevin Kisner and Thorbjorn Olesen in the US PGA, writes Brian Keogh.

Jordan Spieth and Rory McIlroy carded contrasting opening rounds of 72 as Spieth aims to become the youngest player to complete a career grand slam in the 99th US PGA Championship.

Here's your lunchtime news bulletin.

He’s won all his majors from the front but Jordan Spieth now faces a test of his mental strength after a grinding, one over par 72 left him playing catch up at Quail Hollow.

Tommy Fleetwood will head into this week’s Dubai Duty Free Irish Open in the form of his life after claiming a second victory of the season in the HNA Open de France.

Kinsale’s John Murphy will be hoping for some help from the leaders as he goes into the final round six shots off the lead in the East of Ireland Amateur Open at County Louth.

Henrik Stenson bounced back from his US Open frustrations to claim his 10th European Tour title at the rain-hit BMW International Open at Pulheim.

Defending champion Rory McIlroy can achieve a career milestone and set himself up perfectly for a much more important one in the WGC-Dell Match Play this week.

South Africa’s Branden Grace admitted it was a dream come true after becoming the first player to successfully defend the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters on Saturday.

Kevin Phelan may like to hit the ball 25 yards further but it’s the six inches between his ears which concern the new Mount Juliet touring professional more that his driving distance.

A decent initial prize cheque of his career was of little importance to rookie professional Paul Dunne following his 19th-place finish in the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.

European Ryder Cup heroes Victor Dubuisson, Jamie Donaldson and Miguel Angel Jimenez have become the latest stars to confirm their plans to play Royal Co Down in two weeks as the entry deadline closed for this year’s Dubai Duty Free Irish Open.

The top two players in the Race to Dubai were fittingly poised to do battle for the DP World Tour Championship title in Dubai.

"I’ll take this position any week that you offer it to me, a one-shot lead going into the last round on a golf course that I enjoy."

Denmark’s Thomas Bjorn overcame testing conditions and an encounter with overhead power lines to make the perfect start to his bid to seal a Ryder Cup place on home soil.

A week may be a long time in politics but 20 hours can feel like a marathon for one of the game’s greatest golfers when his game goes from the sublime to the ridiculous in such a short space of time.

It was a loaded question and Rory McIlroy delivered the correct answer when asked what would be the perfect 25th birthday gift this coming Sunday, which is also the final day of the Wells Fargo Championship.

Europe remained on course for victory in the inaugural EurAsia Cup despite a spirited fightback from Asia on the second day in Kuala Lumpur.

A year after being denied the chance to win the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters in dramatic circumstances, Sergio Garcia finally got his hands on the trophy today.