Seven years ago Pádraig Harrington suffered a wrist injury that seemed almost certain to derail his defence of the Open Championship at Royal Birkdale.

What once were the far-off dreams of Rory McIlroy are now absorbed into the business of winning golf tournaments. 

If Pádraig Harrington is to end a six-year winless drought in capturing a third Alfred Dunhill Links Championship he will do so with a putter he painted himself.

Pádraig Harrington muscled his way towards ending a six-year winless drought and then revealed he has set himself a goal of representing Ireland in the 2016 Olympics.

Branden Grace now has Race to Dubai front-runner Rory McIlroy in his sights after leading from start to finish to capture the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship at St. Andrews.

OH GOD.

SEVE BALLESTEROS will be dressed in his ‘Sunday Uniform’ for Wednesday’s emotional final tee off.

Birmingham boss Alex McLeish is poised to field an unchanged team in Saturday evening’s home Barclays Premier League clash with Arsenal.

Birmingham midfielder Craig Gardner could return to face his former club Aston Villa in tomorrow’s Carling Cup quarter-final at St. Andrews.

Scotland’s most-capped player, Chris Paterson, is returning to the national squad for a three-day training camp in St Andrews later this month.

AS IF he didn’t deliver enough of a shock to the old suits with his Loudmouth blazer at Tuesday night’s Champions Dinner, John Daly added another in yesterday’s opening round.

DARREN CLARKE’S attempts to end a two-year winless drought finished with a St Andrews ‘consolation prize’ after letting slip victory in the Barclays Scottish Open.

RORY McILROY warmed-up for the British Open with a three-under par on day one of the French Open and then suggested Paul McGinley be considered a Ryder Cup Vice-Captain.

TRIPLE Ryder Cup-winner Paul McGinley has strongly hinted for the first time his interest in being a European Ryder Cup vice-captain later this year at Celtic Manor.

Chelsea 3 Birmingham 0

Aston Villa manager Martin O’Neill has dismissed reports that he wants to sign Rangers striker Kris Boyd.

Birmingham 1 Bolton 2

Aston Villa Newcomer Richard Dunne is hoping his disciplinary record will improve at the club but insists he will remain “fully committed” in every game he plays.

Aston Villa have completed the signing of West Ham defender James Collins, on a four-year contract.

ROYAL DUBLIN’S Niall Kearney scrambled his way to a one over par 72 on the opening day of the St. Andrews Links Trophy.

Birmingham defender Franck Queudrue will be out of action for a fortnight after suffering a hamstring strain.

Birmingham are closing in on the signing of Atletico Madrid midfielder Peter Luccin.

Laura Diaz fired a six-under-par 65 to make the early running after the first round in the Canadian Women’s Open at the Royal Mayfair Country Club.

Left-back Franck Queudrue is determined to make an impact at Birmingham after admitting he did not enjoy the best of relationships with Lawrie Sanchez at Fulham.

DAVE KITSON has slammed the tackle by Birmingham defender Matthew Upson which threatened to spoil his Reading comeback after five-and-a-half months out of action.

Sinn Féin has rejected claims that its consultation process over the St. Andrews proposals is window dressing and that its leadership have already made up their mind to endorse them.

Birmingham players have praised the professionalism during difficult times of outgoing striker Walter Pandiani, who is on the verge of completing a £1m (€1.5m) move to Espanyol.

THE best golf shots by major champions are not always the most memorable.

Smiling Clinton Morrison has plenty of reasons to be happy — but Dwight York he ain’t. Liam Mackey met him.

Birmingham 0 Fulham 1

Birmingham City 4 Leeds United 1

Birmingham and Leeds both named unchanged line-ups for today’s Premiership encounter at St. Andrews.

SOMETIMES it’s a pity that our Monsieur Le Prof is such a pragmatist. After a vintage Dennis Bergkamp performance on Saturday, of the scintillating sort that some of the more sceptical amongst us thought they’d long since seen the last, personally, in Wenger’s place I would have stuck Dennis in a cab straight from St. Andrews and made certain his driver didn’t spare the horses until he’d reached the San Siro.

LINGUISTICALLY and culturally, Arsene Wenger feels at home in Europe. If only his premiership leaders could acclimatise so effortlessly.

Birmingham 0 Chelsea 0

Birmingham 0 Chelsea 0

THE availability of Birmingham’s Jeff Kenna to join the Irish squad for the upcoming European Championship matches was welcomed yesterday by assistant manager Chris Hughton.