Royal Dublin star Niall Kearney is in pole position today to move to the brink of a full European Tour card.

Eight Irish hopefuls will be looking to make their mark as the European Tour qualifying school second stage gets underway across four venues in Spain today.

Ruaidhrí McGee and Kevin Phelan are one step away from securing a European Tour card after both qualified from second stage events in Spain.

Donegal’s Ruaidhri McGee is on the verge of progressing through to the final European Tour Qualifying School event next weekend after another superb round at Las Colinas in Spain.

John Daniel Guiney is a name familiar to golf fans in his native Kerry.

Spain’s Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano wasted no time in moving into a share of the lead when the Spanish Open resumed at El Saler today.

Sergio Garcia was today battling to live up to his billing as pre-tournament favourite in the first round of the Spanish Open in Valencia.

Now that the excitement of the Masters has abated, the rank and file members of the European Tour get back to business this week when the Spanish Open visits the outstanding El Saler course in Valencia.

An ailing Rory McIlroy will be looking to the horizon and hoping continuing Singapore storms abate just long enough to leave the way clear for him to secure the Race to Dubai title.

Mark Murphy’s Q School dreams were shattered yesterday after he sustained a nasty injury competing at the Las Colinas course.

Irish amateur star Alan Dunbar finished just one shot off the bottom of the leaderboard after yesterday’s first round of European Tour second stage qualifying at Lumine Golf & Beach Club in north-east Spain.

Fourteen Irish golfers begin the second stage of the European Tour qualifying school at four venues throughout Spain today.

Three Irish golfers, Peter O’Keeffe (Muskerry), Damian Mooney (Ballyliffin) and Mark Staunton (Ballinasloe), take part in the first European Tour School at the Roxburghe Hotel, Kelso, Scotland today.

It seems outrageous, but there is a strong belief a festering nine-year-old spat with the present European Ryder Cup captain could cost Pádraig Harrington one of Jose-Maria Olazabal’s two ‘wild card’ picks on the European team to face the Americans at Medinah on September 28-30.

Gregory Havret received a hug from captain Seve Ballesteros and the cheers of the few fans there to see it after producing a hole in one on the third day of the Seve Trophy at The Heritage near Dublin today.

Seve Ballesteros managed only a six-over-par 77 today in his first appearance on the European tour for almost two years.

Trees right, trees left. Bogey, double bogey. That was Seve Ballesteros’s first two holes on the European tour for almost two years today.

WITH Seve Ballesteros playing his first stroke play tournament in two years and Colin Montgomerie bidding to improve his number one position in the European Tour, this week’s Madrid Open assumes more interest.

Seve Ballesteros has pulled out of the Open at St Andrews in two weeks’ time with his old Ryder Cup partner Jose Maria Olazabal set to replace him.

Seve Ballesteros has pulled out of the British Open at St Andrews in two weeks’ time, continuing an absence from golf which stretches back to November 2003.

PÁDRAIG HARRINGTON confirmed last night that he will play in next week’s Masters tournament at Augusta National.

Seve Ballesteros is set to end 17 months out of golf in the Spanish Open at San Roque, starting on April 14.

PÁDRAIG HARRINGTON returns to the scene of his greatest triumph today desperately trying to forget the controversy which stopped him celebrating his latest victory.

Padraig Harrington returns to the scene of his greatest triumph this week, desperately trying to forget the controversy which stopped him celebrating his latest victory.

Padraig Harrington plays for Ireland in golf’s World Cup this week, desperately hoping to avoid the controversy which has stopped him celebrating his latest victory.

Colin Montgomerie finally beat Seve Ballesteros in the Seve Trophy at El Saler in Spain - but only after an early scare.

Thomas Bjorn withdrew with a neck injury just before the start of his Seve Trophy singles against Paul Casey at El Saler in Spain.

Lee Westwood improved his Seve Trophy record to a hugely impressive nine wins out of 11 with another majestic display at El Saler in Spain today.

Collated results on the second day of the Seve Trophy, Continental Europe v Great Britain and Ireland, at El Saler, Valencia, Spain

Lee Westwood grabbed two eagles and four birdies in another superb display at the Seve Trophy in Spain today.

Colin Montgomerie’s Britain and Ireland side took a two-point lead on the opening day of the Seve Trophy match against Continental Europe at El Saler near Valencia today.

Justin Rose and Ian Poulter will not forget their introduction to the Seve Trophy in Spain today in a hurry.

The love that Seve Ballesteros still has for match play golf was evident again today as he led Continental Europe into action against Britain and Ireland at El Saler near Valencia.

COLIN MONTGOMERIE is thinking of giving himself a rest on Saturday – so that he is completely fresh to take on the golfer ranked 1,231st in the world 24 hours later.

Darren Clarke has qualified for this week’s Tour Championship in America and will therefore head for Houston rather than El Saler in Spain.

GARY MURPHY believed he knew the Valderrama course well enough until he discovered the final hole played in the opposite direction he thought.

Seve Ballesteros has named his old Ryder Cup partner Jose Maria Olazabal as his wild card pick for the Seve Trophy match between Continental Europe and Colin Montgomerie’s Britain and Ireland side at El Saler near Valencia on November 6-9.

Seve Ballesteros has named his old Ryder Cup partner Jose Maria Olazabal as his wild card pick for the Seve Trophy match between Continental Europe and Colin Montgomerie’s Britain and Ireland side at El Saler near Valencia on November 6-9.

Ian Poulter and Lee Westwood, fourth and fifth on this year’s European Order of Merit, both pulled out on the final day of the Telefonica Madrid Open.

STEPHEN GALLACHER missed equalling the lowest round of his European Tour career by incurring a bizarre one-shot penalty for hitting the ball when he did not mean to.

Scotland’s Stephen Gallacher missed equalling the lowest round of his European tour career today after incurring a one-shot penalty for hitting the ball when he did not mean to.

Paul Lawrie could be getting a call from former Ryder Cup partner Colin Montgomerie following a second round 64 in the Telefonica Madrid Open at Club de Campo today.

Paul Casey has an interesting question for Colin Montgomerie when he next sees him.