Eighteen months ago, Quail Hollow club president Johnny Harris phoned PGA CEO Pete Bevacqua and Kerry Haigh, chief championships officer, and invited them to visit to discuss a few changes he had in mind for the course in advance of hosting the 99th PGA Championship this week.

Rory McIlroy believes Jordan Spieth has a priceless ability to dig himself out of seemingly hopeless situations as the pair prepare to do battle for the US PGA Championship.

Rory McIlroy admits a fifth major title is long overdue as he seeks a third US PGA victory with the added incentive of preventing Jordan Spieth from beating him to a career grand slam.

Rory McIlroy shrugged off a closing three-putt bogey and declared his opening 67 in the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational with new bagman Harry Diamond as the start of a new chapter in his career.

The timing of the decision rather than the actual ending of the nine-year player-caddie relationship between Rory McIlroy and JP Fitzgerald was the biggest surprise for Paul McGinley.

Jordan Spieth and Matt Kuchar were still duking it out at Royal Birkdale yesterday evening as Rory McIlroy’s attention turned towards the PGA Championship and a final shot in 2017 of breaking a three-year major drought.

Jordan Spieth staged one of the great rebounds in a final round at a major championship when defeating Matt Kuchar with a stunning performance over the last five holes at Royal Birkdale to land the 146th Open Championship.

The first thing you notice about the 2017 Open champion is that not much is really noticeable. Jordan Spieth is tall, but not too tall. And he’s a fresh-faced, good-looking lad. But Hollywood probably wouldn’t give him a second glance.

South Africa's Shaun Norris made the most of the best conditions of the day as the third round of the 146th Open Championship got under way on Saturday.

An "ecstatic" Rory McIlroy had no need for a pep talk after one of his best Open Championship rounds kept him firmly in contention for a fifth major title at a wet and windy Royal Birkdale.

There was an Irish weather wipeout at Royal Birkdale last night as Shane Lowry and former Open champions Darren Clarke and Pádraig Harrington all crashed out in the torrential rain.

Rory McIlroy moved under par heading into the weekend at The Open and reminded himself to stay positive over the coming 36 holes as he bids to chase down halfway leader Jordan Spieth at Royal Birkdale.

The year is 1973 and Jack Nicklaus is home alone. 

Rory McIlroy staged a stirring Open Championship fightback at Royal Birkdale that will send him into today’s second round feeling he can get right among the leaders.

English duo Danny Willett and Ian Poulter made the early running on the first day of the 146th Open Championship at Royal Birkdale.

Former champion Mark O'Meara had a nightmare start with a quadruple-bogey eight as he got the 146th Open Championship under way at Royal Birkdale in rainy and breezy conditions.

Former champion Rory McIlroy had an anxious eye on the weather as the 146th Open Championship got under way at Royal Birkdale on Thursday.

To many golfers, being touted as a potential major winner is the sort of endorsement they could do without. Yet far from feeling cursed after having his credentials boosted by Pádraig Harrington ahead of this week’s Open Championship, Shane Lowry seems perfectly at ease with the suggestion.

Royal Birkdale’s reputation as the fairest of all The Open Championship challenges on the rotation is well deserved.

Padraig Harrington is refusing to rule out another "fairytale" Open Championship victory at the scene of his second consecutive victory.

The Open Championship has not been a happy hunting ground for Shane Lowry over the past two seasons but Pádraig Harrington believes the 30-year-old has the credentials to become Ireland’s fifth recipient of the Auld Claret Jug.

Open champion Henrik Stenson admits it was a bittersweet moment when he returned the Claret Jug yesterday, but is eagerly looking forward to the next chapter in his career.

Kevin Markham takes a look at the Royal Birkdale as the course prepares to host The Open Championship.

Rory McIlroy has been paired alongside Charl Schwartzel and world number one Dustin Johnson for the first two days of the Open Championship.

Spain’s Rafael Cabrera Bello claimed his first victory since 2012 by beating England’s Callum Shinkwin in a play-off for the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open.

Pádraig Harrington is sitting in the iconic art deco clubhouse at Royal Birkdale, having lunch and shooting the breeze.

A relaxed Pádraig Harrington does not believe a fourth major title would alter his golfing legacy, but concedes a third British Open victory next week might lead to a hasty change of heart.

Rory McIlroy insists it’s close and that he just has to start doing the simple things well again.

Good but not good enough. 

There was a time when it was understandable to wonder just why Phil Mickelson carried a passport. Oh, that’s right, he needed it for those Ryder Cup visits to Europe every four years.

Christy O’Connor didn’t subscribe to the view that his enormous success on the golf course was attributable to a natural God-given talent for the game.

Ireland suffered an agonising tie with England as they opened the defence of their Amateur Home International series at Royal Portrush yesterday.

Pádraig Harrington reacquainted himself with the high-pressure stakes of the business end of a major championship and felt right at home at St Andrews.

Pádraig Harrington will embark on his bid for a third Open Championship victory and a fourth major at St Andrews today having promised to give it his best shot and not fear the consequences.

Pádraig Harrington was not getting carried away by his best round at The Open in seven years but is hoping the weather does cause “havoc” as the two-time champion bids to close the gap on the leaders at St Andrews this afternoon.

Graeme McDowell felt Shane Lowry’s pain when he heard his fellow Irishman had seen his Open Championship hopes take a sharp nosedive at St Andrews’ 17th hole on the opening morning.

He has twice lifted the Claret Jug, made a reservation for a place in golf’s Hall of Fame and etched his success into the collective memory of Irish sports fans.

His hands had been back on the Wanamaker Trophy barely two hours, but Rory McIlroy was already keenly aware of his place in golfing history and, more importantly, the next landmarks he wanted to reach in the game.

The man who put Pádraig Harrington in the right frame of mind to win two Opens and a US PGA title says he believes the Irishman’s bouncebackability is the reason he can still win more Majors.

Ryder Cup star Ian Poulter will play through the pain barrier in this week’s Open Championship after being assured he can take on Hoylake’s heavy rough without aggravating a wrist problem.

The Open Championship will be held at Royal Birkdale in 2017 and Carnoustie the following year.