WHAT a difference a week makes. Seven days ago, 28-year-old Colm Moriarty from Athlone was relying on invitations to Challenge Tour events as he attempted to get his career back on track after a dismal 2006 season.

An Italian man held on suspicion of trying to extort money from the parents of missing British 4-year-old Madeleine McCann is to appear before Spain's National Court tonight.

AN Italian man and Portuguese woman who allegedly tried to extort money from the parents of missing British four-year-old Madeleine McCann remained in custody in southern Spain yesterday pending further questioning, a police spokeswoman said.

An Italian man and Portuguese woman who allegedly tried to extort money from the parents of missing British four-year-old Madeline McCann remained in custody in southern Spain today pending further questioning, a police spokeswoman said.

Not since Max Faulkner in 1953 has anybody managed a successful defence of the Spanish Open, but a golden opportunity has presented itself to Niclas Fasth this week.

Crews battling toxic gases recovered 30 bodies from a makeshift coal mine in Colombia following an explosion that killed 32 miners, a civil defence official said.

Crews battling dangerously high levels of methane gas recovered 19 bodies from a coal mine in north-east Colombia following an explosion that killed 32 miners, a civil defence official said today.

An explosion tore through a coal mine in remote north-east Colombia today, burying at least 31 miners in tunnels filled with toxic gases, a rescue official said.

Irishman David Higgins shot a poor 76 in today's fifth round of the European Tour qualifying school final at San Roque to leave him a lot to do in tomorrow's final day to creep into the top 30. Higgins stands at joint 71st.

Ireland’s Philip Walton has made an early exit from the European Tour qualifying school final at San Roque today.

Carlos Rodiles continued his recovery from personal anguish to top the leaderboard after round two of the European Tour’s qualifying school final at San Roque.

IRELAND’S David Higgins, Stephen Browne and Michael Hoey return to the European Tour School at San Roque next month having failed to retain their cards.

Sweden’s Niclas Fasth ended the home nation’s dominance of the Mallorca Classic to complete his own Spanish double today.

GARY MURPHY will almost certainly save his European Tour card should he make the cut in the Majorcan Open this week — even though he is three places outside the top 115 on the order of merit who retain their playing privileges in 2007.

Finding a four-leaf clover gave Scotland’s David Drysdale some long overdue good luck as he claimed the halfway lead in the Italian Open in Milan.

Denmark’s Soren Kjeldsen equalled the course record to lead the Italian Open - but Ryder Cup captain Ian Woosnam grabbed the headlines in Milan.

Denmark’s Soren Kjeldsen equalled the course record to lead the Italian Open - but Ryder Cup captain Ian Woosnam grabbed the headlines in Milan.

The Americans shocked at The Belfry four years ago by the intensity with which Niclas Fasth plays his golf should prepare themselves for another dose this September.

Swede Niclas Fasth won the Spanish Open at San Roque today – after doing his best to lose it.

England’s John Bickerton, eight behind at the start of the day, and Swede Niclas Fasth went into a play-off for the Spanish Open title at San Roque today.

Back at the venue where he finished third in the European tour qualifying school last November, England’s David Griffiths takes a two-shot lead into the final round of the Spanish Open tomorrow.

Gary Orr outshone fellow Scot Colin Montgomerie to grab a share of the lead when the Spanish Open resumed at San Roque today.

England’s Graeme Storm, a team-mate of Luke Donald and Paul Casey at the 1999 Walker Cup, kept alive his hopes of a maiden European Tour victory today.

Few golfers have experienced more ups and downs in their career than Thomas Bjorn. And today was definitely the former.

England’s David Griffiths stormed into the lead at the Spanish Open today - back at the club where he finished third in last November’s European Tour qualifying school.

Former Ryder Cup player Jarmo Sandelin, whose last trip to San Roque was to save his European tour career five months ago, burst into the joint lead when the Spanish Open resumed today.

LIKE uncle, like nephew! Raul Ballesteros is playing in the Spanish Open this week on the strength of an invitation wangled for him by Seve Ballesteros and, for 16 holes over the new course at San Roque yesterday, it looked as if he was about to repay him in spades.

IRELAND’S “second division” of European Tour members had their day in the sun at San Roque yesterday.

Ireland's Peter Lawrie and Stephen Browne are just two shots off the pace the Spanish Open at San Roque after the first round.

After seven years of trying Seve Ballesteros’ nephew Raul finally made a real mark of his own on the European tour today – but only for 16 holes.

Raul Ballesteros, the 25-year-old nephew of Seve, had his lowest round on the European Tour today – and came off bitterly disappointed.

Colin Montgomerie was soon back where he feels most comfortable – on a leaderboard – when the Spanish Open began at San Roque today.

England's David Griffiths birdied the last hole of his fifth round to edge into the lead at the European Tour’s qualifying school final in Spain.

Play in the fifth round of the European Tour’s qualifying school final at San Roque was suspended this morning as thunderstorms swept over the Costa del Sol.

THE European Tour School is an annual end of season exercise that tries the hearts and minds of young and old alike.

NICK DOUGHERTY’S dream of a first head-to-head with Tiger Woods was close to becoming reality after the second round of the HSBC Champions tournament in Shanghai.

Tom Whitehouse’s decision to compete in this week’s European Tour qualifying school reaped its rewards at San Roque in Spain.

THE inherent difficulty of the annual end-of-season European Tour School assumed new proportions yesterday for Dubliner Stephen Browne.

Jarmo Sandelin set about rebuilding his career in the European Tour’s qualifying school final in Spain today after spending more than a decade employing a do-it-yourself approach to the game.

England’s Shaun Webster made a purposeful opening to his bid for a European Tour card as he set the early pace in the first round of the qualifying school final at San Roque.

Raymond Russell is looking to take encouragement from the resurgence of former Ryder Cup player Paul Broadhurst and make a swift return to the European Tour this week.

PÁDRAIG HARRINGTON is hopeful that a recent run of good form will culminate in a serious challenge for this week’s inaugural HSBC Championship at the Sheshan International Golf Club in Shanghai, China.

EVERYBODY has heard of Butch Harmon, David Leadbetter, even Hank Haney.