Irish pair play their Ryder Cup at Gleneagles

The two-year wait to earn a ticket to Gleneagles will finally come to an end today for some of the world’s best golfers, just as an Irish club pro and his six-handicapper team-mate tee off at the Scottish resort in search of silverware.

As Graeme McDowell celebrates securing the ninth and final automatic Ryder Cup team place, a half-dozen or so European Tour colleagues will today hang on captain Paul McGinley’s every word as he names his three wild card picks to face the USA later this month. American counterpart Tom Watson later adds his captain’s selections to the mix to round out the teams for the biennial showdown to be played over the PGA Centenary Course from September 26-28.

And while they command the attention of the golfing world, East Cork’s PGA professional Dan MacFarlane and amateur Eric Fleming will get their bid for the £43,600 (€55,000) Lombard Trophy final first prize under way over the Auchterarder club’s King’s Course.