In every sport, there’s a team, or a venue, or an event, or a player that proves to be someone’s nemesis. Sometimes it just gets in the player’s head but it proves to be a complete bogeyman… and golf is littered with them, says Kevin Markham

Shane Lowry is looking forward to a return to the type of US Open courses which produce "carnage" after the experiment with two new venues in the last three years.

Glorious sunshine covered the Erin Hills links like honey on hotcakes yesterday, and doomed the dream of Phil Mickelson to compete at the 117th US Open.

Five-time major winner Phil Mickelson has withdrawn from the US Open after good weather ended his slim chances of making a last-minute dash to Erin Hills.

The venue for this week's US Open is like a "links course on steroids" according to Spain's Jon Rahm, who is one of the favourites for victory in just the fourth major championship of his career.

Ahead of the US Open at Erin Hills in Wisconsin this week, the United States Golf Association (USGA) is rightfully nervous. 

Rory McIlroy said he needed a paracetamol after a raucous Saturday’s play in the cauldron that was Hazeltine National but you got the feeling that Darren Clarke had the bigger headache because of his underperforming captain’s picks.

With a third-round, three-under-par 69 that gave him outright second place behind Jordan Spieth after 54 holes, the golfing world wanted to know a little more about 24-year-old Smylie Kaufman.

World number one Jordan Spieth will look to make amends for one of the few mistakes he made in 2015 by winning the Northern Trust Open this week.

Shane Lowry heads into the third round today at Chambers Bay still very much in contention after securing his first weekend at the US Open in three attempts.

Masters champion Jordan Spieth made an early move up the leaderboard as the misery continued for former world number one Tiger Woods in the US Open on Friday.

It has been a long time since I have so eagerly anticipated the start of a major championship — especially the US Open.

Hometown professional Michael Putnam hit the first shot of the 115th US Open at 7am local time yesterday and five hours and 13 minutes later was sinking the final putt of his first round for an opening level-par 70 at Chambers Bay near Tacoma, Washington.

Shane Lowry will renew his quest for a major breakthrough at Chambers Bay tonight confident that his links experience can pay dividends if he matches his good form with the required levels of patience.

Graeme McDowell can already picture the celebrations if he wins another US Open title to maintain Europe’s recent dominance of the year’s second major championship.

Golfers are sticklers for routine, mainly because their career is based upon repetition of the same thing, day in, day out.

Rory McIlroy refused to blame his responsibilities as tournament host at Royal County Down as he crashed out of the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open.

From demolishing the field at Quail Hollow to wowing crowds during a London store appearance, there has been little in the last 72 hours to suggest Rory McIlroy is anything other than the master of all he surveys.

US Open champion Martin Kaymer is looking to finish off a long but personally successful year on a high.

Pádraig Harrington predicted earlier this year that within the decade, the likes of Bubba Watson and Rory McIlroy will be battling a new generation of stars who will hit the ball 380 yards — at least. 

European captain Paul McGinley intends to sit down with PGA champion Rory McIlroy to discuss how much of a Ryder Cup target he will represent to the United States when the teams clash at Gleneagles next month.

Rory McIlroy vowed to “keep the pedal down” as he looked to turn a narrow halfway lead into a second major title in four weeks in the 96th US PGA Championship.

Martin Kaymer would love to compete against Tiger Woods in this week’s US PGA Championship, but hinted that the 14-time major winner would be better off taking a lengthy break from the game.

Irish golfers have captured four major championships since 2011 but in that same timeframe, eight of our best and brightest have taken the plunge into the professional ranks.

Rory McIlroy held off a spirited challenge from Ryder Cup team-mate Sergio Garcia to claim his third major title on a thrilling final day of the Open Championship at Royal Liverpool today.

The predicted thunderstorms failed to materialise, but Rory McIlroy provided the fireworks to take a stranglehold on the 143rd Open Championship at Royal Liverpool.

Shane Lowry's name may have been high up on The Open Championship leaderboard after an excellent opening 68, but the Irishman was not taking anything for granted as he returned to Royal Liverpool for today's second round.

Shane Lowry will try to maintain an even keel this week as he aims to carry his good form into tomorrow’s Open Championship at Royal Liverpool.

Korea’s IK Kim cruised to victory in the ISPS Handa Ladies European Masters at Buckinghamshire Golf Club yesterday.

Michael Hoey is keeping his fingers crossed that he’ll be paired with Martin Kaymer at this week’s BMW International Open in Cologne.

Stephanie Meadow’s amazing third place in the US Women’s Open on her professional debut at Pinehurst No.2 was a dream start to her career in the paid ranks but the Irishwoman saw it as a reward for her endeavour rather a shock success.

Michelle Wie claimed the first Major title of her career with a two-shot victory in the US Women's Open that will go a long way to silencing her critics.

Taking Martin Kaymer’s US Open victory as his inspiration, Mikko Ilonen celebrated his wire-to-wire Irish Open win last night as a major progression along the road to his career goals.

GOOD DAY

Former world number one Tiger Woods admits he will be “a bit rusty” when he returns to action in the Quicken Loans National on the PGA Tour next week.

Frustration grows and grows for Shane Lowry. Last week he dropped three shots in the final three holes of the second round of the US Open at Pinehurst to miss the cut by a shot and yesterday at Fota Island he lost his chance of regaining the Irish Open that he captured as an amateur in 2009 by finishing one over par for 36 holes at Fota Island.

Former world number one Tiger Woods will return to action in the Quicken Loans National, which benefits his foundation, on the PGA Tour next week.

Graeme McDowell admitted it was a pleasant surprise to be in contention for the Irish Open after moving into a share of the lead on Friday.

Graeme McDowell set about improving his poor Irish Open record as the second round got under way in more glorious sunshine on Friday.

Jet-lagged Graeme McDowell is hoping a good night’s sleep will help him mount a charge in pursuit of overnight leader Mikko Ilonen as the second round of the Irish Open gets under way at Fota Island Resort today.

Rory McIlroy will go into today’s Irish Open first round at the Fota Island Resort unburdened by matters Olympic and determined to finally make a mark on his national Open.

US Amateur champion Matthew Fitzpatrick leaves innocent ways behind him today as he starts life in the professional ranks at Fota Island Resort.

Having won the Irish Amateur Close Championship down the road at Cork Golf Club, Little Island, and formally launched the Irish Open here a few weeks ago, Shane Lowry immediately felt at home when he arrived at Fota Island on Tuesday afternoon.