THE bookmakers rate him 1,000/1 and even his most ardent supporters in Kerry and Cork could hardly quibble with that. But David Higgins is quietly confident that he can make an impression in this week’s Open Championship, his self-belief soaring last night after he had completed his first full practice round over the Turnberry links.

WHILE deriving a degree of satisfaction from winning the Irish Professional Championship for the sixth time and the third year in a row, at the European Club on Saturday, Pádraig Harrington admitted that he’s “still clutching at straws” with regard to getting his game into shape for a successful defence of the Open Championship at Turnberry this week.

Padraig Harrington will take a four-stroke lead into tomorrow’s final round of the Irish PGA Championship, the event he has won for the last two years, immediately before capturing The Open.

THE 30th player in this week’s Barclays Scottish Open at Loch Lomond will receive in excess of €30,000, comfortably more than the total prize fund of €26,000 on offer in the Irish PGA Championship which starts at the European Club in Co Wicklow this morning.

As bleak as it looks after five successive missed cuts Padraig Harrington is not ready yet to rule out completing a hat-trick of Open titles in 15 days’ time.

LICKING his wounds after another bitter disappointment is becoming all too familiar for Pádraig Harrington.

CONFIRMATION of Pádraig Harrington’s playing schedule in upcoming weeks has brought both delight but also disappointment to fans and tournament organisers on both sides of the Irish Sea.

Padraig Harrington has captured the Irish PGA title for a second year running - and next he will try to do the same at the Open Championship.

PÁDRAIG HARRINGTON has cruised into a six-stroke lead with 18 holes to go in the IPGA Championship at The European Club in Co Wicklow and is looking more and more the part, as he hones his game in good time for his defence of the Open Championship, at Royal Birkdale next week.

Padraig Harrington has built a commanding lead at the Irish PGA tournament at the European Club in Co Wicklow.

Defending champion Rory McIlroy cruised into the last 16 of the Golfsure Irish Amateur Close at The European Club.

Odd couple Rory McIlroy and Adrian Morrow survived the carnage to lead after the first qualifying round of the Golfsure Irish Amateur Close Championship at the European Club.

Holywood's Rory McIlroy and Portmarnock veteran Adrian Morrow share the clubhouse lead in the Golfsure Irish Amateur Close Championship at the European Club.

Rory McIlroy (Holywood), ranked fifth in the world amateur golf rankings, will defend the Golfsure-sponsored Irish Amateur Close Championship at The European Club from June 10 to 14.

Tiger Woods continued his countdown to the Open today with a course record 67 at the European Club in Ireland.