In the surrounds of the richest golf ambiance anywhere and on the threshold of the oldest championship the sport knows, it probably isn’t the proper time to ask if you’ve ever heard of the Greater Milwaukee Open or the Quad City Classic or something called the BC Open, or even the LaCantera Texas Open.

After completing his commitments in San Antonio, Texas, Shane Lowry’s full attention now turns to his next tournament and a maiden Masters appearance. 

Bobby Keys, a saxophonist who played one of the all-time blowout solos on the Rolling Stones’ hit Brown Sugar, has died in the US.

Hot Sauce. Al Capone. 2Tap. Uncle Creepy. The Notorious.

ENGLAND: Diners at a branch of Nando’s got more than a serving of chicken when the prime minister walked in for a meal.

MAN ‘SUFFOCATED BY HIS UNDERWEAR’

Tom Daley is dating a 39-year-old Oscar-winner.

A Boeing 787 operated by Ethiopian Airlines flew from Ethiopia to Kenya’s capital today, the first commercial flight since air safety authorities grounded the Dreamliners after incidents with smouldering batteries on two different planes in January.

A US-based aircraft maintenance company has confirmed plans to locate its new strategic corporate headquarters for Europe, the Middle East and Africa at Shannon Airport.

Rory McIlroy is in San Antonio, Texas, this week.

Caesarean birth greatly increases a baby’s chances of developing allergies, a study has found.

The Colorado cinema where 12 people were killed and dozens injured in a shooting rampage nearly six months ago reopened with a remembrance ceremony and a private screening of the fantasy film The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey for survivors.

The Dog Stars

Bill Clinton took centre stage at the Democratic National Convention as President Barack Obama’s nomination is placed before a party hoping that the last president to preside over sustained growth can help propel him to re-election in a sputtering economy.

A university has said it received a suspicious package, but would not confirm the contents or whether the sender was a former student accused of killing 12 people in the Colorado cinema shooting.

A sports blogger who wrote of surviving a Canada shooting just over a month ago was among those killed in the deadly cinema rampage.

Breast cancer experts are hailing what could be some of the biggest advances in more than a decade – two new medicines that significantly delay the time until women with very advanced cases get worse.

An estimated million young pilgrims braved searing heat followed by blustery rains in Madrid today to take part in a prayer vigil with Pope Benedict XVI, massing at a dusty airport field as the Catholic Church's youth festival neared its climax.

THE plane at the centre of yesterday’s crash was involved in an incident in Spain in 2004 when its nose wheel suddenly locked into a right position forcing the aircraft to veer off the runway.

The man whose heroism in the face of genocide was portrayed in the film 'Hotel Rwanda' was warned today he could face charges of financing terror.

THE so called fifth major, the Players Championship at Sawgrass over the weekend, proved a salutary lesson for Ireland’s top two players, Rory McIlroy and Pádraig Harrington.

Toyota will close a major car assembly plant for the first time after today’s announcement it is pulling out of a California factory joint venture it had previously run with General Motors.

A cargo plane burst into flames after bouncing off a runway in high winds at Tokyo’s main airport, killing the pilot and co-pilot.

AUTHOR Frank McCourt has revisited the places of his wretched Limerick childhood.

Doctors in the US who successfully separated twin boys joined at the head said today that the nine-month-olds were expected to have a “very good chance” of a normal life.

Hillary Clinton pledged to “make history” today as she revived her ailing campaign in Texas and Ohio in the race for the Democratic Party’s presidential nomination.

Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton were making a final bid to appeal to voters in Texas and Ohio tonight ahead of crucial contests which could decide the Democratic Party’s presidential nominee.

ICON, the Dublin-based clinical trials specialist, has acquired US pharmaceutical research company Healthcare Discoveries for an initial consideration of $12 million (€8.27m).

'Desperate Housewives' star Eva Longoria and her new husband have declared a Christmas war on their neighbours in San Antonio, Texas.

Manny Pacquiao recorded a unanimous decision over Marco Antonio Barrera in Las Vegas to reaffirm his super-featherweight supremacy, but the post-fight limelight was stolen by his retiring opponent.

Movie actor Woody Harrelson's father, a convicted murderer, has died of a heart attack in prison, it was revealed today. He was 69.

FAME comes in many forms but even as John Duddy prepares to grab the spotlight in front of a sell-out crowd of adoring fans at Madison Square Garden tomorrow night, a female boxer on the undercard can already claim she has been lauded at the Oscars.

It seems Desperate Housewife Eva Longoria has reconciled with boyfriend Tony Parker following rumours they had split.

A 73-YEAR-OLD Co Limerick-born curate and his partner were in hiding at the home of a relative in Dundalk, Co Louth, last night with their two- month-old love child.

THE US military death toll in the 2 1/2 year Iraq war reached the milestone of 2,000 last night with the announcement by the Pentagon of a US soldier who died at a hospital in Texas over the weekend.

Fights and rubbish fires broke out, rescue helicopters were shot at and anger mounted across New Orleans today, as National Guardsmen in armoured vehicles poured in to help restore order across this increasingly desperate and lawless city.

Denzel Washington might have appeared in uniform on screen a few times before, but some real soldiers have captured his heart.

Mark McNulty fired an eight-under-par 63 – his best round of the year – to open up a four-stroke lead after the second round of the SBC Championship in San Antonio, Texas.

Legendary American photographer Richard Avedon has died. He was 81.

The United States was on alert today after two trucks laden with explosive propane gas were stolen.

A flash flood swept through a northern Mexican city, killing at least 31 people caught in the path of an overflowing river, forcing hundreds into shelters, and damaging homes and cars.

Doctors and health workers in England were today warned not to use a pregnancy testing kit on patients after concerns emerged that some women could have been given incorrect results.

Mexican great Marco Antonio Barrera suffered a shock defeat when beaten into submission by Manny Pacquiao of the Philippines in San Antonio, Texas.