Standing firm on their name and rerecording a new album has paid off for a band ready to expand beyond Ireland, writes Ed Power

BRITAIN: Store giant Asda has unveiled what it describes as the UK’s first sweet red onion, promising to rid shoppers of tears and bad breath after eating.

2007

Rory McIlroy came from seven shots behind to claim a remarkable victory in the BMW PGA Championship today as overnight leader Thomas Bjorn squandered a five-shot lead at Wentworth.

Rory McIlroy believes almost three-quarters of the 97-strong field can win the US Masters, while Justin Rose neatly summed up an unpredictable season so far.

Flood waters are reported to be receding after the worst tidal surge for more than 60 years hit coastal towns along the east coast of Britain.

In a thrilling finish to the Cassidy Golf 103rd €30,000 PGA Irish Championship at Roganstown yesterday, Michael McGeady snatched the title by a whisker from Damian Mooney and Cian McNamara.

Ernie Els believes he can add more major titles to his collection - before retiring to sell hotdogs on a beach in South Africa.

Darren Clarke believes Tom Watson’s appointment as American Ryder Cup captain has come as a “bolt from the blue” and really given Europe food for thought before they name their man.

Ten years on from his last major victory Ernie Els became Open champion again tonight – and could hardly believe it.

Tiger Woods was today battling to remain in contention for the Open Championship during a dramatic final round at Royal Lytham.

Adam Scott, who reckons he can remember every shot of Greg Norman's closing 64 to win The Open at Sandwich 19 years ago, was today putting himself in pole position to lift the Claret Jug himself.

Adam Scott, who reckons he can remember every shot of Greg Norman’s closing 64 to win The Open at Sandwich 19 years ago, now has one of his own to sit alongside it in the record books.

Darren Clarke said he was “basically disgusted with myself” after starting his Open title defense with a six-over-par 76 at Royal Lytham.

The gauntlet has been thrown down to the 156 golfers whose ambition today is to become British Open champion at Royal Lytham & St Annes on Sunday evening — play it straight or you are in trouble.

By Simon Lewis, Lytham

So keen is Rory McIlroy to move his already glittering career onto the next level, he would regard victory in this week’s Open Championship as “my biggest achievement in golf”.

Darren Clarke admitted today as the rain hammered down at Royal Lytham that his golf game was not the only thing in need of some repair – so was the Claret Jug.

Luke Donald needs accuracy and bottle if he is to end his wait for a major at Royal Lytham this week – and he showed he had both when he was just three years old.

When the world rankings came out this week 19-year-old Italian Matteo Manassero found himself third reserve for the Open Championship.

Darren Clarke admits he fell into the classic British Open championship winner’s trap after he fulfilled a lifetime dream and lifted the Claret Jug at Royal St George’s last year.

It is not just the luck of the Irish that American Keegan Bradley is hoping for at Royal Portrush this week.

It is a question thousands of golf fans are sure to be asking this week as they pack Royal Portrush for the first Irish Open in Northern Ireland since 1953: How on earth did Rory McIlroy shoot 61 round this place?

Disappointment has been expressed at the announcement that the 2016 British Open is going to Troon, passing over the claims of Royal Portrush.

Ryder Cup captains past and present Colin Montgomerie and Jose Maria Olazabal are part of a 96-strong field at Sunningdale tomorrow battling for 10 places in next month’s Open Championship.

Only six players have ever done the double of United States and British Open titles in the same year, but Webb Simpson may not even try to join them.

After the bitter disappointment of yet another missed cut – his fourth in five tournaments – Rory McIlroy faces a huge test of character in the coming weeks.

Next month's Irish Open golf championship at Royal Portrush is set to become a near sell-out.

Justin Rose piled on the agony for Darren Clarke with a 6&4 drubbing at the Volvo World Match Play Championship in Spain today.

Masters winner Bubba Watson is not the only big name missing from this week’s Players Championship at Sawgrass – at £5.8m golf’s richest event.

Only three players in golf history have won 10 or more majors, but Tiger Woods has helped to identify who might join him, Jack Nicklaus and Walter Hagen.

Darren Clarke is a changed man – a “Lean Mean Fighting Machine” according to his own website – as he kicks off his season in South Africa tomorrow.

FIRST he brought the Claret Jug home.

Royal Portrush is set to be announced as this year's Irish Open venue later today.

THE RETURN of the Irish Open this year to Royal Portrush will act as a dry run for bringing the British Open Championship to the Dunluce links at the famed Antrim links in the future.

The North is set to stage a professional golf tournament once again following the phenomenal success of the region’s golfers.

Major winners Darren Clarke and Rory McIlroy are both recognised in the New Year Honours List in the UK.

IF Christmas is for the kids, today is mainly for winners. A cruel, elitist time of year when we look back and pick our best, our favourite, our most memorable.

HE promised he would spend his €7 million Lotto fortune on his family rather than himself.

OPEN champion Darren Clarke admits he would put aside his personal opinion and play at Gleneagles next year if he needed to qualify for the Ryder Cup.

Open champion Darren Clarke today admitted he would put his personal opinion to one side and play at Gleneagles next year if he needed to qualify for the Ryder Cup.

Ireland's Peter Lawrie is in a tie for second place after day two at the Johnnie Walker Championship in Gleneagles.

Paul McGinley has a chance to further his claims to the Ryder Cup captaincy in 2014 after being put in charge of the Great Britain and Ireland team again for the Vivendi Seve Trophy in Paris on September 15-18.

The bells are ringing for America’s new golf star Keegan Bradley – but they could also be sounding more bad news to come for struggling superstar Tiger Woods.