So Andy Farrell opted to play safe last weekend with his selection against Scotland?

So Andy Farrell opted to play safe last weekend with his selection against Scotland? Really?

England’s Tyrrell Hatton pocketed the first prize of €1.8million

The last thing Shane Lowry needs is to be a hostage to fortune — but while the new Open Champion insists he would retire happy with a single major win on his resumé, a steely ambition for further success lurks not far beneath the surface.

Pádraig Harrington toasted the double victory of Shane Lowry and Royal Portrush as a brilliant moment for Irish sport as the 148th Open Championship was declared a resounding success.

If the video clips doing the rounds on social media yesterday are anything to believe, Shane Lowry has been living up to his pledge to enjoy his magnificent and well-deserved Open Championship victory.

The consensus is Pádraig Harrington would need to be out of his mind to take on the role of host at the Irish Open Championship next July, given that he is set to captain the European Ryder Cup team at Whistling Straits less than three months later.

This may not be Pádraig Harrington’s last shot at glory but the triple major champion knows age is catching up with him and his blistering 63 at Lahinch yesterday was a sign he is not inclined to waste a minute of the time he has left in elite golf.

The three-time major champion could be forgiven for protesting that he already has plenty on his plate, what with his captaincy of the European Ryder Cup team which will play at Whistling Straits next September.

Shane Lowry knows he has the game to win majors and play Ryder Cup but he also knows that Europe and not the US might be the perfect launchpad as he bids to make Pádraig Harrington’s team for Whistling Straits next year.

So many golfers have tried to take on Bethpage Black and been overwhelmed that in the early 1980s the park placed a famous sign behind the first tee that reads: “Warning: The Black Course is an extremely difficult course which we recommend only for highly skilled golfers.”

Pádraig Harrington has confirmed he will return to Lahinch Golf Club for the first time since his amateur days at this July’s Dubai Duty Free Irish Open.

Pádraig Harrington kicked off his 2020 Ryder Cup captaincy by stating his total confidence that Rory McIlroy would be fully committed to the European cause at Whistling Straits.

Anyone who has followed the illustrious playing career of Pádraig Harrington and listened to his intense desire to get things right these past 15 years, or so, will have no doubt he is the right man to lead Europe into the next Ryder Cup at Whistling Straits in Wisconsin 20 months from now.

Pádraig Harrington is today expected to be named as Europe’s captain for the 2020 Ryder Cup.

It’s the worst secret in golf and even Pádraig Harrington, one of the most affable men in golf, is tiring of being asked if he’s going to be the next captain of the European Ryder Cup team.

Ryder Cup vice-captain Graeme McDowell admits he wants the main job in the future but accepts there is a log-jam of players queuing up ahead of him.

Ten of the leading contenders for the US PGA Championship (listed in predicted order of finish)

Pádraig Harrington accepted a European Ryder Cup vice-captaincy for a third time and thanked his friend and skipper Thomas Bjorn for keeping him involved in the biennial duel with the United States 19 years after his playing debut.

"You only need to look at the record books to see that their Ryder Cup pedigree speaks for itself."

Hazeltine hosted the last Ryder Cup in 2016 when the United States lifted the trophy for the first time since 2008.

It’s official. After widespread speculation, the powers that be announced on Tuesday that the professional golf calendar as we know it will look remarkably different beginning in 2019.

Way before Rory McIlroy turned professional in 2007 at the age of 18, it was obvious he already had enough talent to challenge the very best golfers in the game, but an impatient McIlroy always wanted more, writes John McHenry.

Love was clearly in the air at Ashford Castle in Mayo last weekend as Rory McIlroy wed his American fiancée Erica Stoll.

On a day when Jordan Spieth got that sinking feeling again, Brian Keogh examines the major talking points...

Pádraig Harrington insists that temperamental Thomas Bjorn will not be a liability as Ryder Cup captain and conceded that his own captaincy ambitions will have to be reviewed if he’s not to miss the boat in 2020 or 2022.

Dustin Johnson has the slow walk, the bristled jaw and the gunslinger’s eyes of a Sergio Leone bounty hunter.

The sight of European big guns limping over the finish line early on Sunday at the Masters need not necessarily give Ryder Cup team captain Darren Clarke cause for panic five months out from the 41st match-up at Hazeltine.

No world No. 1 has won the Masters since Tiger Woods in 2002, and current incumbent Jason Day does not consider himself the favourite this week.

It’s a fine balance at Augusta between panache and patience.

Rory McIlroy has cut down on the distractions as he attempts to complete the career grand slam at Augusta this week.

Rest up or tune up?

Jason Day snatched the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill to take over from Rory McIlroy as world No 2 and underline his credentials as a major contender for Masters glory.

Making the extraordinary feel routine is a trick only the greats can master, and while Rory McIlroy is favourite to win his third Race to Dubai crown in four years, Shane Lowry has a fast-track to the Ryder Cup in mind at this week’s Turkish Airlines Open.

It may have been a long time coming but the manner of Jason Day’s PGA Championship victory in Wisconsin suggests that now he has overcome the biggest hurdle the Australian has what it takes to be a major champion for some time to come.

Jordan Spieth has replaced Rory McIlroy as world number one after finishing second to Jason Day in the US PGA Championship.

Rory McIlroy admitted Jordan Spieth deserved to replace him as world number one following the US PGA Championship at Whistling Straits.

Jason Day finally bridged the gap to major championship victory on Sunday night as he held Jordan Spieth at bay to complete a three-stroke PGA Championship win.

Jason Day finally bridged the gap to major championship victory on Sunday night as he held Jordan Spieth at bay to complete a three-stroke PGA Championship win at Whistling Straits.

Had Jason Day realised his major ambitions back in 2011, the effects may not have been favourable.

Somewhere along the rocky rode he has travelled in recent years — maybe after back surgery pushed him to the sidelines, or maybe when his ‘glutes’ didn’t activate in San Diego; it’s so hard to keep track of his ailments, comebacks, and soap opera episodes — Tiger Woods let it be known that “Father Time was undefeated”.

Rory McIlroy will play his PGA Championship final round on Sunday with an eye on the rest of his season as much as the defence of his title after another encouraging 18 holes at Whistling Straits.