England’s Ross Fisher has his sights set on a first European Tour title in almost four years after claiming a one-shot lead at the midway point of the Tshwane Open in South Africa.

Ryder Cup captain Paul McGinley has expressed disappointment Shane Lowry is not in France for the Seve Trophy, commencing in France today.

One of the richest tournaments on the European Tour schedule, the $5m (€3.7m) Dunhill Links, is on this week over three outstanding links courses on the east coast of Scotland — but just three members of the 2012 European Ryder Cup team are competing.

The question to Conor Mallaghan, owner/director of Carton House was simple and straightforward.

Deep thinkers are in short supply among the golfing elite but Graeme McDowell could never be accused of failing to think outside the box when it comes to the fate of the beleaguered European Tour.

Rory McIlroy has mended signs of a split in his relationship with long-time friend Graeme McDowell ahead of playing alongside one another in the BMW PGA Championship, which begins at Wentworth today.

Rory McIlroy today said he was unable to clarify reports that he is leaving Horizon Sports Management to create his own management group, but revealed he has cleared the air with Graeme McDowell.

South African Branden Grace today equalled the European Tour record with a round of 60 at Kingsbarns in the first round of the Dunhill Links Championship.

It was not only Europe’s Ryder Cup heroes who went short of sleep on Sunday night – so did Michael Hoey, who today began his defence of the Dunhill Links title at Carnoustie.

Rory McIlroy doesn’t have to win this week’s Tour Championship to pick up the massive FedEx Cup bonus of $10 million (€7.65m) bonus but he still has a lot of work to do if he is to leave East Lake, Atlanta, with golf’s richest prize tomorrow night.

Is there any wonder Rory McIlroy is ready to embrace his tournament favouritism at Royal Portrush as the 2012 Irish Open gets underway today?

GRAEME McDOWELL left Singapore last night bound for the Land of the Rising Sun buoyed by a third and final round 66 for share of 13th place in the rain-affected Barlcays Singapore Open.

THE European Tour and sponsors, the Andalucian Tourist Board, must have been furious the Andalucian Masters was bypassed by many marquee names in favour of the Shanghai Masters.

THIS time last year, Graeme McDowell was the toast of the golfing world.

THEY may have experienced wildly different campaigns in the Majors this year, but hope springs eternal for Rory McIlroy and Pádraig Harrington as they look forward to strong finishes to their seasons.

SHANE LOWRY is hoping to join a very exclusive club and boost his chances of finishing the Race to Dubai on a high when he makes his debut in the 100th edition of the Ladbrokes.com sponsored Irish PGA at Seapoint today.

IT seems inconceivable that a man could walk off the Old Course at St Andrews after shooting a nine under par 63 in the first round of the 150th Open Championship and feel just a little disappointed.

WORLD number three Lee Westwood pointed to the luck of the draw after he got the worst of the conditions in the first round at St Andrews.

Rory McIlroy, put himself into golf’s record books with a sensational start to The Open at St Andrews today.

Rory McIlroy, the kid many expect to be king one day, put himself into golf’s record books with a sensational start to The Open at St Andrews today.

CLOSE on 10 years separate Graeme McDowell and Rory McIlroy in age.

SHANE LOWRY cannot conceal the excitement ahead of his first Major championship this week.

Paul Casey lost twice on his return to golf in Spain today – and even with another group game still to come, he has no chance of making the semi-finals of the Volvo World Match Play Championship

Oliver Wilson played only two games on his Ryder Cup debut at the weekend, but the event was still so emotional and so mentally draining that he has pulled out of this week’s Quinn Direct British Masters at The Belfry.

It was always going to be asking a lot of Padraig Harrington to follow back-to-back major wins with a starring role in the Ryder Cup - but it was still a shock to see the Open and PGA champion going through a second successive match without winning a game.

Nineteen-year-old Rory McIlroy totally outplayed defending champion Brett Rumford today and will take a four-stroke lead into the final round of the Omega European Masters in Switzerland.

Nick Dougherty has turned to three-time champion Nick Faldo for an expert opinion in the countdown to his Masters debut at Augusta National this week.

Nick Dougherty has vowed to go all out for victory in the final round of the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship after moving into a three-stroke lead.

THE battle for top spot on the European Tour order of merit resumes this week having been largely in abeyance for the past six weeks or so as the leading protagonists concentrated on the FedEx Trophy play-offs in the US followed by the Seve Trophy at the Heritage club over the weekend.

Pádraig Harrington did not hesitate when the inevitable question was asked: Is the Irish Open the title you would most like to win on the European Tour? In one word came a very definite response: YES.

A rejuvenated, if currently “knackered”, Colin Montgomerie has revealed how his record eighth Order of Merit success had some unusual financial spin-offs.

IT’S been a turbulent year in many ways for Pádraig Harrington and nothing seems to change.

COLIN MONTGOMERIE moved closer to an incredible eighth Order of Merit title despite narrowly missing out on a play-off in the American Express Championship.

Colin Montgomerie will lead the European challenge for a first victory in the American Express Championship this week following his triumph in the Dunhill Links Championship.

THESE are hectic times for Europe’s top golfers, many of whom have contested the HSBC World Match Play Championship, the Seve Trophy and the Dunhill Links in successive weeks.

The North’s Graeme McDowell has done his homework on St Andrews and hopes it will stand him in good stead for this week’s Open Championship.

Graeme McDowell believes the changes made to toughen up St Andrews have made it even more “crazy” but remains confident he can reproduce the form which saw him shoot a course record 62 last year.

GRAEME McDOWELL’S ambition of getting into the world’s top 50 before the end of the season is edging ever closer.

Their exploits in the Ryder Cup ensured 2004 will always be remembered as a great year for Padraig Harrington, Darren Clarke and Paul McGinley.

YOU don’t win 72-hole golf tournaments on the first day, but three of the six strong Irish challenge in the Dunhill Links are sitting nicely after yesterday’s opening round in surprisingly agreeable weather conditions over the Old Course at St Andrews, Carnoustie and Kingsbarns.

CHUB