Gary Hurley is still very much in contention to become the first Irish winner of the European Amateur Championship for eight years after finishing day two on the Dukes Course at St Andrews in a four-way tie for the lead.

West Waterford’s Gary Hurley stormed into the lead in the European Amateur Championship on the Dukes Course at St Andrews yesterday following a stunning opening round.

Maurice Kelly will be aiming to complete a magnificent quick-fire double when he competes at the British Seniors Amateur Championship, which gets underway at Ganton, Yorkshire, this morning.

Whitehead’s John-Ross Galbraith made a small killing with the bookies as he put Pat Murray to the sword with a one-hole win in the AIG Irish Amateur Close Championship final at Seapoint.

Sometimes it takes a step back in order to move forward and that has certainly been the case for Michael McDermott.

Pádraig Harrington rates the newly-formed Confederation of Golf in Ireland (CGI) as crucial for the future of Irish golf.

Dungarvan’s Kevin Stack and West Waterford’s Gary Hurley kept Munster interest alive in the Radisson Blu sponsored West of Ireland Championship at a sun-kissed County Sligo.

Damien McGrane might not have won the KLM Open on Sunday but his professional trajectory continues to be an example to Ireland’s budding tour stars — the poster boy for those who bite the bullet and take the PGA assistants’ route to the top.

Writing off Pádraig Harrington is a bit like writing off Sylvester Stallone’s Rocky — an exercise that’s likely to blow up in your face as the hero takes yet another horrific pummelling but somehow manages to haul himself off the canvas.

The outstanding Killeen course, venue for the Irish Open in 2010 and 2011, hosts the revived Killarney Scratch Cup today.

Rory McIlroy has clung onto his spot at the summit of the world rankings despite missing the cut at The Players Championship on Friday night.

THE youngest and oldest players in the field met with mixed fortunes in yesterday’s second round of the South of Ireland Championship at Lahinch.

DEFENDING champion Alan Dunbar hopes his batteries will be recharged when he tees it up at Royal Dublin this morning and takes on six of his fellow Walker Cup squad members in the Irish Amateur Open.

PADRAIG HARRINGTON may have turned a corner with his game of late but with one day left before the Masters gets under way at Augusta National, he has played down suggestions he is ready to add to his three-major haul with immediate effect.

“I’m a better player than I was when I won the three majors”. Pádraig Harrington talks to Simon Lewis and describes Augusta National as the most intimidating tournament course in golf. But the Dubliner insists it is a challenge which inspires him.

PÁDRAIG HARRINGTON insists his appetite for winning majors is stronger than ever and that, as he prepares for the Masters in two weeks, his best golf is still to come.

PÁDRAIG HARRINGTON and Tiger Woods departed Miami in reasonably good spirits having shared 10th place in the WGC Cadillac World Championship over the Blue Monster course at Doral.

IT HAS been a while since Pádraig Harrington played a round of professional golf but that isn’t to say he has been resting on his laurels over the festive season and the turn of the year.

Irish interest in the Ryder Cup doesn’t stop at the three players and the two vice-captains. There’s also a trio of bagmen keeping their employers on the short grass. Charlie Mulqueen explains

Paul Dunne (Greystones) today became the first player to successfully defend the Irish Boys Amateur Close Championship with a two-stroke victory over Knock’s Colin Fairweather at Bangor Golf Club.

Scotland's Gavin Dear has one-stroke lead entering Sunday's final 36 holes of the Irish Amateur Open at a windy Royal Dublin.

Hamburg's Philipp Westermann fired the first sub-par round of the week to race into the clubhouse lead in the Irish Amateur Open at Royal Dublin.

Gale force winds sent scores soaring in the opening round of the Irish Amateur Open at Royal Dublin.

Lucan's Richard O'Donovan recorded a fine opening round of 70 to lead after day one of the Irish Boys Amateur Close Championship at Portumna Golf Club.

Defending champion Darren Crowe will face Limerick's Michael Kemmy in Sunday's second round of the South of Ireland championship at Lahinch.

UNDER normal circumstances, Albert Lee would have been across the Irish Sea in a flash to watch Pádraig Harrington defend his British Open title but, in the end, he decided he had no other option but to remain at home in Mullingar perched on his own couch.

ALL over Ireland this week, there will be youngsters begging lifts to the nearest golf course in the hope of emulating Pádraig Harrington, and the British Open champion’s own alma mater in Stackstown will be among the busiest hives of activity.

Forrest Little's Eoin Arthurs took advantage of perfect early morning conditions to scorch to a six-under par 66 and a two stroke lead in the East of Ireland Amateur Championship at County Louth.

Twelve-year-old Lisa Maguire (Slieve Russell) beat twin sister Leona by one hole to win the 2007 Flanagans Leinster Girls Championships at Old Conna Golf Club.

PÁDRAIG Harrington might have to start clearing his diary, with local authorities and golf clubs queuing up to hail his historic British Open Championship win.

Golf hero Padraig Harrington today vowed to take another major after his nail-biting victory at the British Open.

Golf fans across Ireland were celebrating tonight after Dubliner Padraig Harrington won the Open Championship.

Walker Cup hopeful Jonathan Caldwell staked a strong claim for selection in yesterday's Irish Amatuer Close Championship at Cork, where he shot a five under par 67 to lead the field after day one.

Today's scores from the Nissan Irish Boys Amateur Close Championship.

Rory McIlroy dashed Simon Ward's dream of a second win in a week with an exciting sudden-death victory in the Owens Group Mullingar Scratch Cup.

A revitalised Rory McIlroy is licking his lips at the prospect of a head-to-head battle with Mark Campbell for the Mullingar Scratch Cup.

Dunmurry's Darren Crowe is on course for his second amateur major in the space of a fortnight after cruising into the last four of the South of Ireland Championship at Lahinch.

Holder Jim Carvill said goodbye to the South of Ireland title on a wet and windy afternoon at Lahinch.

Banbridge 24-year-old Connor Doran collected the silver medal as leading qualifier in the Magners' North of Ireland Amateur Open Championship at Royal Portrush this evening.

IRISH YOUTHS AMATEUR OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP 2006

Big-hitting Andrew Pitcher led the qualifiers in the Golfsure Irish Amateur Close Championship at the European Club.

Odd couple Rory McIlroy and Adrian Morrow survived the carnage to lead after the first qualifying round of the Golfsure Irish Amateur Close Championship at the European Club.

Holywood's Rory McIlroy and Portmarnock veteran Adrian Morrow share the clubhouse lead in the Golfsure Irish Amateur Close Championship at the European Club.