There’s no such thing as a sure thing in golf and while Paul McGinley believes the stars will align and Rory McIlroy will soon put together a performance for the ages, there is no guarantee it will happen in the Masters.

Dustin Johnson’s supporters say that what gets overlooked when you focus on the ending to his 2010 PGA Championship is how well he played to charge into the lead. 

I have a new found respect for golfers this week.

It was written in the stars. With their powerful long games, silky smooth swings and superstar swagger, it was simply a question of when, not if, they would win the Masters.

You are an 11-year-old who goes to bed on Christmas Eve with a spirit in your belly, only to wake up the next morning to discover Santa Claus has skipped your house.

IT is one of those assessments that is personal to the core, a belief you attach yourself to because you’re comfortable no one can offer evidence to the contrary or shake you from your point of view.

SITTING here at Augusta National, an arena that serves as a sort of shrine to golf, it may seem an inappropriate time to discuss football – the one played with a pigskin sphere not a round ball and feet – but afford me the opportunity to explain why Dan Marino comes to mind.

Seve Ballesteros, who is still recovering from a brain tumour, is among the golfing stars who have been invited to compete in the Champions Challenge on the eve of next July’s Open at St Andrews.

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.

Solid performances from Ireland’s Pádriag Harrington and Darren Clarke have seen them remain well in contention as the 69th Masters championship began after a lengthy rain delay at Augusta National.

THERE has not been a European winner of a major championship since Paul Lawrie at Carnoustie in 1999.

THE WINNER of the 133rd Open at Royal Troon maintained the American dominance of the Championship.

Ernie Els bagged a hole-in-one in a stunning start to the British Open championships at Royal Troon today.

Tom Weiskopf, the 61-year-old who won the 1973 British Open at Royal Troon, began what will be the last competitive event of his life with a quadruple bogey eight today.

Gary Evans and Ernie Els today made the most of their stunning starts to the 133rd British Open Championship at Royal Troon.

Gary Evans today made a spectacular start to the first round of 133rd British Open Championship at Royal Troon.

IT'S a sporting disaster that lives fresh in the memory.

WHOEVER christened Ernie Els 'The Big Easy' wasn't within earshot yesterday as the South African laid into American golf chiefs as an organisation and individuals.

For the first time since he won the US Masters in 1997, Tiger Woods will not start a major championship as the favourite when the 133rd British Open gets under way on Thursday.

THE ROYAL & Ancient aren’t generally known for a sense of humour and would never, it was imagined, get up to a bit of mischief.

Lee Westwood has chosen to be “reclusive” in the build-up to this week’s British Open championship at Royal Troon. But that is bound to change once the event starts.

Mark Calcavecchia insists anyone can win this week’s Open championship at Royal Troon – but concedes it would take a miracle for it to be him.

COLIN MONTGOMERIE set himself a goal when he first saw the draw for the Scottish Open: “finish ahead of partners Ernie Els and Lee Westwood going into the week-end, and I have a good chance.”

Prize money at The British Open Championship this July will be a record £4m (€6m), it was revealed today.

BEING at the Masters is one thing. Caddying for Pádraig Harrington another. But when our own Charlie Mulqueen guided Ireland's finest to victory in Wednesday's Par 3 tournament, he left the course with mixed feelings.

Ernie Els today demonstrated he was in prime form ahead of the defence of his Open title in the rain delayed Scottish Open.

Play resumed at 1.15pm at the Scottish Open, but John Daly was probably wishing he had not bothered at all.

How each hole played in last year’s Masters (Rank 1 = hardest, Rank 18 = easiest):