Rory Recovers from Rocky Start

Rory McIlroy recovered from a terrible start at the Memorial Tournament to card a one-under 71 that keeps him in touch with the first-round pacesetters.

The Northern Irishman shot a quadruple-bogey seven on the 12th - his third hole, having started on the 10th - at Muirfield Village Golf Club.

But four birdies and an eagle on the fifth moved McIlroy to one under - two behind the clubhouse leaders.

World number one Luke Donald also shot a 71, while Tiger Woods carded a 70.

McIlroy, who defends his US Open title next month, will be determined to put in a good performance following two consecutive missed cuts at the The Players Championship and the BMW PGA Championship.

The world number two made par in his first two holes before sending his tee shot into the bunker behind the green on the par-three 12th.

McIlroy's next shot sailed into a pond for a penalty stroke before his fourth landed in a bunker. After reaching the green, he then two-putted from 15 feet.

It was a demoralising start to the round but the 23-year-old recovered well, making birdies on the 14th and 15th.

He dropped a shot on the 17th but a birdie and an eagle coming home meant the danger of a third consecutive missed cut receded.

"It wasn't the start that I wanted to get off to, being four over through three holes, especially after the last few weeks," said McIlroy.

"I was just like, 'Here we go again'. But I hung in there well, and I'm proud of myself for the way I fought back. To finish the round under par I thought was a really good effort."

Woods, who has won the tournament four times before, shot a double-bogey six on the 18th - his ninth - but that was the only blemish on his scorecard as four birdies saw him back in the clubhouse on two under.

"It certainly could have been a lot lower, but I'm pleased with the way I hit the golf ball," he said. "I didn't do anything great and I didn't do anything poorly."

Donald, winner of the BMW PGA Championship last time out, also ran up a double bogey on the 18th but three birdies in his round keeps him in contention.

"There are some tougher pins out there and overall I'll take one under and try and play better the next three days," said the Englishman.

With half the field still to head out onto the course, South African Rory Sabbatini, Australian Aaron Baddeley, Argentina's Andres Romero and Blake Adams of the United States are the clubhouse leaders on three under.

Ryder Cup Feel at Benhavis Masters

Philip Walton will tee-off alongside a number of fellow Ryder Cup legends at the Benahavis Senior Masters in Spain on Friday, paired with Gordon Brand Jnr and Tony Johnstone, a she return to the European Senior Tour after playing in the US last week.

1999 Ryder Cup Captain Mark James is also in action and searching for his first win since 2009 as he returns to the venue where he sealed his best result of last year, when he finished tied second behind Mason.

Amongst the local favourites at La Quinta will be the another Ryder Cup star, Manuel Piñero, who designed the course over which the Senior Tour’s third tournament of the season will be played.

The Irish interest also includes 2006 Ryder Cup Vice Captain, Des Smyth, and Denis O'Sullivan.

Carl Mason will be hoping to make it three Benahavis Senior Masters titles in four years when he returns this week to the scene of the most recent of his 25 European Senior Tour victories.

The Englishman has a stunning record at the Benahavis Senior Masters, winning the inaugural tournament in 2009 and then again last October, with a runner-up finish in 2009 sandwiched in between.

With the tournament moved to the much earlier slot in the schedule this year, Mason believes it could be the perfect catalyst to kick-start his tenth season on the Senior Tour.

“Hopefully it will give my season a bit of a boost now, going back to a place where I have done so well and a place where I just have good feelings every time I’m there,” said the Senior Tour’s record title holder.

“I like the place a lot. You get to stay on site in a beautiful hotel and the staff and the people there are really friendly, so I always enjoy myself. I always have good vibes about La Quinta.

“Obviously it has come around a lot quicker this time with the change of date, so hopefully that will be to my advantage. And who knows, if I play like I have done in the past few years here, hopefully I can put myself in with a chance again.”

Mason could not make an impression at the top of the leaderboard at the season-opening Mallorca Open Senior two weeks ago, finishing 27th as Gary Wolstenholme emerged victorious, but the two-time European Tour winner is hoping the work he has put in since will pay off this week.

“I wasn’t too disappointed with my overall game in Mallorca, but I putted poorly and that’s not normally a problem for me so I’ve been working hard on that since,” he said.

“I’m feeling a bit better now after a bit of practice. I think it’s just a lack of tour time and hopefully it will come good in Benahavis.

“I still very much love competitive golf and I miss it during the break,” he continued. “I feel like I’ll be glad to play proper competitive golf because it’s a long break and after another two week break after Mallorca, it makes me even keener to get back playing now.”

Mason has won six times in total on Spanish soil on the Senior Tour and also claimed his maiden European Tour title in the Open de Andalucía in 1994.

The 58 year old will be among a strong Senior Tour field competing for an increased prize fund of €200,000 – a rise of €20,000 from 2011 – for the fourth edition of the tournament on Spain’s Costa del Sol.

Four-time Senior Tour winner Juan Quiros is also in the field, as are his fellow Spaniards José Maria Cañizares, Antonio Garrido and Miguel Angel Martin, who will make his first appearance at the Benahavis Senior Masters having turned 50 earlier this month.

Thornton Gets Going at Celtic Manor

Simon Thornton has passed through the eleventh green in three under par at the ISPS Handa Wales Open, despite dropping a shot at the first, as he recovered to make the turn in 33 strokes and set the pace in the afternoon pairings - just one shot off the clubhouse leader.

England's Lee Slattery established his one shot clubhouse lead during the morning  round at a windy Celtic Manor Resort.

The 33 year old, who qualified for the US Open Championship at Walton Heath on Monday, shot a four under par 67.

That gave Slattery, who won his maiden European Tour title in Madrid last October, an early one stroke clubhouse lead over German Marcel Siem.

“It was very difficult out there," said Slattery. "The wind was strong, I think stronger than anticipated. Just getting off to a good start today, two birdies in the first two holes, made all the difference. It just meant I had something to go for afterwards.”

On his forthcoming trip to America for the US Open, he added: "I'm really looking forward to San Francisco. It'll be my first tournament in America and I'm fixing up trips to the baseball and Alcatraz."

Slattery reached five under before running up a bogey six at the long ninth - his 17th - and at that point was one behind Siem.

However, the in-form Siem then took six on the same hole, pitching into a greenside bunker, and on the 210-yard tenth he came up short which led to another bogey for the man who two years ago led by three going into the final round only for his title challenge to falter.

Siem, with five top-12 finishes under his belt already this season, said: “I’ve been pretty consistent and I played well last week. 

“My coach came after Walton Heath yesterday and did a little bit of work, and I took a lot of confidence from that. It's very, very steady at the moment.”

As the afternoon wave of players got underway New Zealand’s Michael Campbell made a good start to move into a share of third place.

The former US Open Champion, plagued by injuries in recent years and having made only one cut in eight starts this season, raced to two under par with birdies at the 11th and 15th.

He was alongside Spain’s Gonzalo Fernandez-Castaño and Sweden’s Joel Sjöholm, who both signed for 69.

The later starters included four players from the 2010 European Ryder Cup side who won at this venue - England's Ross Fisher, Spaniard Miguel Angel Jiménez and Italian brothers Francesco and Edoardo Molinari.

Live Scoring - ISPS Handa Wales Open

Wales Open and Closed for Lowry

Shane Lowry announced on Facebook that he was withdrawing from the ISPS Handa Wales Open due to illness.

"Unfortunately had to pull out of the tournament with a viral infection in my throat. So annoying because I felt like my game was coming along nicely but wasn't even nearly 100% today.... " he wrote.

His roiund 1 score card showed there was trouble afoot  after an opening round of 81 strokes at The Celtic manor on Thursday, with a triple and double bogey through holes 12 to 13 - to set him at 10 over par for the day.

Having played at the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth through the weekend, and finished 68th, Lowry then travelled to Walton Heath on Monday to chase a place at the Olympic Club in the US Open Qualifier. 

An aggregate 142 was six strokes too many in the end to get one of the 11 automatic places on this occasion. But an early tee off in Wales on Thursday, after the added 36 holes on Monday, may have taken their toll on the Clara man in round 1.

In 2010 Shane qualified for both the Open Championship and the US PGA, on his way to finishing 62nd in the 2010 Race to Dubai, narrowly missing out on a spot in the Dubai World Championship.

In 2011, Shane’s game continued to improve in his final exempt season, as he would have to earn his right to play on the European Tour in 2012, since his 3 season exemption from winning the 2009 Irish Open had ended. 

Lowry would do this with ease, securing 4 top-10’s on his way to finishing 41’st in the 2011 Race to Dubai.

Fallon Leads at Galgorm Castle

Five birdies on his back nine fired Scott Fallon to a two-shot lead at the end of Round One of the Ulster Bank Open at Galgorm Castle on Wednesday.

The London golfer signed for an eight-under-par 64 on the opening day of the event, the fourth of the 888poker.com PGA EuroPro Tour season.

Starting his round on the 10th tee, Fallon opened with a birdie before gaining further shots on the 14th, 15th and 18th. He then proceeded to improve his score by a further five shots on his back nine with a bogey at the second the only blemish on his card.

Philip Ridden (City of Newcastle Golf Club) is Fallon’s closest contender. The 26-year-old turned professional this season and an opening-round of 66 puts him in a great position to make his first cut of the Tour season.

James Hepworth (Ilkley Golf Club) is tied for third with Dale Whitnell (Five Lakes) after carding 67 with the help of an eagle on the ninth. Hepworth was victorious after winning a play off at Galgorm two years ago and is in a strong position ahead of Thursday’s second round.

Whitnell is also five under par, three shots behind the leader. He began his round with a three on the par-four first and didn’t drop a shot on his opening round.

Paul Reed (Bristol and Clifton Golf Club), Gareth Davies (Abbeydale Golf Club), Adam Keogh (Boston West Golf Club) and Alex Belt (The De Vere Club) are all tied for fifth having carded 68 on the opening day.

West Ham United midfielder Gary O’Neil is playing as an amateur in the event and is tied for 63rd after shooting 74.

Round Two gets underway at 7:30am on Thursday with a two-tee start. The Ulster Bank Open is a 54-hole strokeplay event with a field of 164 golfers playing 18 holes on both Wednesday and Thursday. There will then be a cut to the leading 50 players and ties who will play a final 18 holes on Friday.

Entry to the event is free to spectators all week. As well as the golf there is a tented village featuring free children’s golf lessons from Junior Golf Ireland, ecurie25 supercars and Bushmills Distillery among other displays.

McIlroy Plans to Play Golf

Rory McIlroy has explained his decision to play three tournaments in as many weeks ahead of the defence of his US Open crown.

Having missed the cut by at both Sawgrass and Wentworth in his last two outings, McIlroy is opted to cram his schedule with competitive golf rather than spend extra time in practice.

The world number two tees up at this week's Memorial Tournament before heading to Memphis for the FedEx St Jude Classic, with the US Open the following week in San Francisco.

"I just feel like I need some rounds," said McIlroy, who has been grouped with world number one Luke Donald for the first two rounds at Muirfield Village.

"These two-day weeks aren't really that good for me, so I just want to get some competitive rounds in.

"I'm working on a few things, and I feel trying to put them into competition will be the best way for me to prepare going into the US Open.

"When you've been on a run where you've hardly finished outside the top five and then all of a sudden two missed cuts, it's more of a shock than anything else.

"It's something I haven't really had to deal with in a while. I just have to knuckle down and figure it out and get back to the way I was at the start of the year."

Clarke Joins Forces with CLIC Sargent

The Darren Clarke Foundation has joined forces with The Tour Players’ Foundation, the charitable foundation of the European Tour, in support of the Official Charity of the 2012 Irish Open – CLIC Sargent.

The UK’s leading cancer charity for children and young people, CLIC Sargent provide clinical, practical and emotional support for young cancer patients and their families, from diagnosis onwards.

The charity will be the beneficiaries of the 2012 Irish Open Birdie Pledge that will see The Tour Players’ Foundation and the Darren Clarke Foundation each donate £10 per birdie, £20 per eagle and £50 per albatross scored during the four rounds of the Irish Open.

A European Tour event produces an average of 1500 birdies, meaning CLIC Sargent could be in line to receive over £30,000 by the end of the Irish Open at Royal Portrush Golf Club from June 28 – July 1.

CLIC Sargent will channel all of the funds raised during the Irish Open to their Northern Ireland Homes from Home Appeal, which has a goal of providing free self-catering accommodation in Belfast within walking distance of the specialist treatment centers for more than 200 children and young people being treated for cancer in Northern Ireland each year, to alleviate both the financial and physical strain put on the children and families by the travel to and from their treatment sessions.

Reigning Open Champion Clarke said “I am delighted to team up with the Tour Players’ Foundation to support CLIC Sargent through my own Foundation at this year’s Irish Open. CLIC Sargent is an amazing charity and the work they do with young cancer patients and their families is truly inspirational.

“Hopefully we will have great scoring conditions at Portrush next month and we can raise as much money as possible through the Birdie Pledge.”

Mark Roe, Chairman of the Tour Players’ Foundation, said: “To have Darren come on board as a charity partner to the Tour Players’ Foundation at this year’s Irish Open is a huge boost to the tournament and a magnificent gesture from one of the most generous players on Tour.

“We hope that others will be inspired to follow Darren’s example and partner us both in the Birdie Pledge, helping to raise as much money as possible for this profoundly worthy cause at this year’s Irish Open.”

Barry McGuigan, CLIC Sargent Patron said; “This is a fantastic gesture from Darren Clarke and the Tour Players Foundation and I would like to thank them for their generous support. Families in Northern Ireland travel on average up to 95 miles, five times a week, to receive the cancer treatment their child needs. So we know that CLIC Sargent’s Homes from Home Appeal will make a massive difference to those families.”

McIlroy paired with World Number 1

Luke Donald and Rory McIlroy will go head-to-head in the first two rounds of the Memorial tournament at Muirfield Village in Ohio.

The pair have been vying for the number one ranking for much of the past year, with Donald re-taking top spot with victory at Wentworth last week.

McIlroy missed the cut there - his second in a row - but said on social network Twitter he is looking forward to a better week.

"Getting some great work done here on the range at Memorial... Looking forward to a good week at one of my favourite events of the year!" said the Northern Irishman, who will only return to number one if he wins and Donald finishes worse than 13th.

The pair will be joined on the first two days by USPGA champion Keegan Bradley.

Tiger Woods is also in the field, as are Masters champion Bubba Watson following a month-long lay-off and Dustin Johnson, who has not played since March because of a back injury.

Next Stop Irish Open for Clarke

PHOTO: Kelvin Boyes, Press Eye Ltd

Darren Clarke has admitted he will be “raring to go” when the Irish Open comes to his home Royal Portrush Golf Club in precisely 30 days’ time.

The Portrush resident and Honorary Member of the club will take the next four weeks off to finally rid himself of a troublesome groin injury which flared up again last week during the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth and will next strike a ball competitively when he tees up in the first round of the Irish Open on Thursday June 28.

Speaking during the official Irish Open Media Day at Royal Portrush, Clarke said: “Everyone who knows me knows that I have been looking forward to the Irish Open on my home course ever since it was announced, in January, that it was coming back here.

“Now the fact this injury means I won’t play officially until I tee up on the Dunluce Course in a month’s time means I will really be raring to go. Everyone in Northern Ireland is counting down the hours for this championship to start, and I’m one of them.”

Joining Clarke at the top table for the Media Conference was Northern Ireland Tourism Minister Arlene Foster, Northern Ireland Tourist Board Chief Executive Alan Clarke, Royal Portrush Golf Club Captain John Moss and Richard Hills, The European Tour’s Ryder Cup Director.

Tourism Minister Foster said: “Excitement is really starting to build around the Irish Open as the clock ticks down to the tournament at the end of June. I know our three Major winners are looking forward to showing their fellow professionals what makes golf here so special and I’ve no doubt that those playing Royal Portrush for the first time will be hoping a little bit of the Northern Ireland ‘magic’ rubs off on them.

‪‬‬‬‬

“The Northern Ireland Executive is committed to ensuring that the Irish Open at Portrush will be a success. With tens of thousands attending the Irish Open, and millions of golf fans watching on their television sets all over the world, we have never had a better opportunity to showcase Northern Ireland to potential international investors and tourists.”

The Irish Open was last staged in Northern Ireland in 1953 when Scotsman Eric Brown won at the Belvoir Park Golf Club in south Belfast and will be the tenth time in total, although the first since the birth of The European Tour in 1972

Royal Portrush has staged the championship on three previous occasions; the first in 1930 when Englishman Charles Whitcombe triumphed; the second in 1937 when another Englishman Bert Gadd won and, most recently, in 1947 when the legendary Irish professional Harry Bradshaw took the first of his two Irish Open titles, the other also coming in the north at Belvoir Park in 1949.

The new venue for the 2012 Irish Open will continue to focus the attention of the golfing world on Northern Ireland which has enjoyed a glorious spell at the pinnacle of the game over the last two years; following on from the ground-breaking achievement of three Major Championship victories in 13 months by Ireland’s Padraig Harrington in 2007/2008.

Graeme McDowell set the ball rolling in June 2010 with his memorable victory in the US Open Championship at Pebble Beach before handing the trophy over 12 months later to Holywood’s Rory McIlroy, following his astonishing eight shot victory at Congressional Country Club in June 2011.

The Major Championship baton was then passed to Clarke himself, who provided an emotional and memorable Open Championship victory at Royal St George’s in July 2011.

Murphy Misses US Open Chance

Gary Murphy returned to the fray at Walton Heath on Monday, playing the US Open sectional qualifier, and alongside some big names also missed out on a trip to the Olympic Club next month.  

Rounds of 73 and 71 left him with an aggregate 144, six shots adrift of the eleventh place that secured automatic passage to San Francisco. It was a return to action following his appearance at The Sicilian Open last month, where he missed the cut - a trend that characterised his 2011 season.

In fifteen starts on the Challenge Tour, Murphy made the cut three times which has seen him drop in ranking to 1,247 place.

In fact it was at the end of the 2009 European Tour Season that Gary Murphy was lats in the mix on the European Tour, battling with Simon Khan, Sam Hutsby and Alejandro Cañizares - all outside the top 115 automatic spots - and struggling to make plans for the 2010 season. 

In 124th place in the Race to Dubai Murphy faced the dreaded trip to Qualifying School at the PGA Catalunya in Girona. That year Simon Khan emerged the winner of Final Qualifying and went on to win the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth in May 2010.

For Murphy the season’s fortunes went a different way - despite qualifying - earning only €19,152 in prize money which put him back to 227th place. Despite adding to his schedule two Challenge Tour events where missed the cut in both. 

With the season over Gary headed back to European Tour Qualifying School – eleven years after he first passed the test in 1999 – seeking a quick return for the 2011 season after a season of too many missed cuts. But it didn't happen

He did qualify for the OneAsia Tour which took him back to the region where he first tasted success years ago. However there were not enough starts due to his low ranking and the reality perhaps of life after golf were becoming an added thought.

The 2003 season was his best ever order of merit finish Murphy secured 59th place which included a fourth place at the Barclay's Scottish Open. During that season the Kilkenny man missed no cuts at all. 

Having taken up the game at the age of 11, after acting as a caddy for his father Jim, and played golf along with soccer – at which he had trials for Ireland’s Under-13 and Under-15 teams. 

In the end he concentrated on golf as of 1988, at the age of 16, and reduced his handicap within the year to scratch. In 1992, three years later, he won the Irish Amateur Closed Championship and turned professional in 1995. 

Two years later he won the Asian Tour School in the Philippines playing the region for two winters, keeping his card each time. At the fifth attempt he won his card at European Tour Qualifying School graduating to the Tour in 2000. 

However he was back on the Challenge Tour for two seasons before winning the sixth card at the 2002 Qualifying School and remained ever present until he fell short last season. 

In 2008 Murphy recorded a share of third place in the Irish Open at Adare Manor with Lee Westwood, Martin Lafeber and Robert Karlsson - one place ahead of Rory McIlroy. But a season later he returned to Q School finishing in seventeenth place to earn playing right for 2010 – along with the only other Irish graduate, Simon Thornton. 

In 2012 that post playing career started with a Padraig Harrington interview in a new series on Setanta called The Cut Line. 

In the series the former European Tour Pro met a number of Irish players including Shane Lowry, Paul McGinley and Des Smyth.

The Cut Line premiered on Setanta Ireland in February.

Fact File 

Date of Birth: October 15th, 1972 

Place of Birth: Kilkenny, Ireland 

Turned Pro 1995 (plus 2) 

Qualifying School (1995), (96), (97), (98), 99*, 00, (01), 02*, 09*, 10

Lawrie Books Frisco for US Open

Only twenty-fours after securing a firuth place at the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth, Peter Lawrie emerged from the 36-holes US Open international qualifying tournament at Walton Heath – in a play-off – and will make his debut in the Major at the Olympic Club in San Francisco next month.

With 11 qualifying spots up for grabs, Lawrie – whose only previous Major appearance came in the 2005 British Open at St Andrews where he missed the cut – posted rounds of 67 on the New course and 71 on the Old course to get into a five-way play-off for the final four spots.

Sweden’s Alexander Noren and Scotland’s Marc Warren topped the qualifying on nine under par amd were joined by England’s Lee Slattery, Denmark’s Soren Kjeldsen, South Africa’s Geoge Coetzee, Finland’s Mikko Ilonen and Frenchman Gregory Bourdy.

In the play-off, Italy’s Matteo Manassero and England’s Matt Baldwin booked their tickets at the first play-off hole with birdies.

France’s Raphael Jacquelin claimed their spots at the second. Korea’s Sihwan Kim was the player to lose out, earning a place on the alternate list.

Lawrie, who has been attempting to shake off a cough for the past month which he picked up in China, hit form at Wentworth where he more than held his own in the company of world number one Luke Donald on Saturday.

Although Lawrie is slated to play the Wales Open this week at The Celtic Manor, he is likely now to withdraw from Scandinavian Masters to allow preparations for his maiden US Open appearance.

Els Apologises for Green Outburst

Peter Lawrie's playing partner on the final day of the BMW PGA Championship, Ernie Els, has apologised to European Tour officials for his outspoken criticism of Wentworth's greens.

The South African, who has overseen several redesigns of the West Course , was furious at what he perceived to be a lack of watering on Saturday.

An angry Els complained that his calls to soften the greens were ignored.

"Ernie Els asked to see me this morning and apologised for his intemperate language," said European Tour chief executive George O'Grady.

"He stated that he had already apologised to all the individuals concerned and offered a substantial donation to the European Tour Benevolent Trust, which I accepted.

"The European Tour now consider this matter closed."

Els, who has a house on the Wentworth estate, helped resculpt the course three years ago but his early changes received vocal criticism from a number of top players.

A few more minor tweaks this year were met with approval, but Els was furious with the hard, bouncy condition of the course for this week's BMW Championship.

"I asked them to put water on the greens, so put water on the greens," said the 42-year-old after his third round in baking temperatures.

"You don't have to be a rocket scientist to figure it out. The guys are not happy and I'm not happy.

"I landed my second at the 18th probably five yards too far. How much money did we spend on the 18th? We built a dam there. Why the hell was the green not holding?

"My point is, you hit a driver and then a four-iron gets you in the middle of the green. What else must you do next? Must I be the greenkeeper here?

"The Tour has got to play ball - it's not my job. The 15th green is holding, the 16th is not, the 17th is not, the 18th is not.

"They're all inconsistent. I can't keep talking about this. At some point they've got to listen. I do talk, but they don't listen.

"I can't control the wind and it seems like I can't control the greens staff either. They've seen the forecast almost a week in advance, but it's like talking to this wall behind me - I'm fed up.

"This is not a surprise. I've been talking since I landed on Monday - keep the moisture on the greens. It gets to me. I want everybody to have a fair and tough examination.

"Anybody who has half an idea in this game can walk to the 12th green and see - it's dead. Somebody is not doing their job. Why is this happening?"

Tournament director David Garland said on Saturday: "We want a tough and fair set-up. The greens have been hand-watered every night after play.

"This was done last night and because we knew that east winds were forecast, sprinklers were also put on every single green to give them more water.

"Because of the conditions, some fairways were also watered and tees were moved forward on the 13th, 15th, 17th and 18th."

Despite being bathed in sunshine over the first three days, the condition of the West Course has been causing concern following weeks of cold and wet weather.

Head greenkeeper Chris Kennedy said it had been "the most difficult build-up I have ever known".

Clarke Out of Olympic Event

Open champion Darren Clarke will miss the US Open next month after being advised to rest a groin problem.

Clarke has also withdrawn from the NordeaMasters in Stockholm and will not play again until the Irish Open at his home course of Royal Portrush.

"I am extremely disappointed as Open champion that I am unable to play the US Open," said Clarke.

"I have to make sure I am 100% ready for the Open and to do that I have been advised not to play for a month."

Clarke was troubled by a groin strain during the Houston Open the week before the US Masters in early April, and felt it again at last week's BMW PGA Championship.

He took medical opinion and was advised to rest for four weeks or risk further damage.

"I haven't been able to get through the ball properly because of it and I don't want to take any chances," added Clarke.

Clarke has struggled for form since his Open victory at Sandwich and has failed to make the halfway cut this season.

The US Open will be staged at the Olympic Club on 14-17 June, with Clarke's compatriot Rory McIlroy the defending champion.

The Irish Open starts on 28 June while Clarke will bid to retain the Open title at Royal Lytham and St Annes on 19-22 July.

Where is everybody?

For the Irish Open at Royal Portrush a new star of Northern Ireland golf is grabbing the attention of millions of television viewers in the run up to the event. 

His name is Bramble and golf fans throughout Ireland have enjoyed watching him sink putts at the famous north coast golf course on TV. What people don’t know is that this particular golfer, from Crumlin in County Antrim, happens to be blind.

Another remarkable fact is that this new rival to Northern Ireland’s ‘holy trinity’ of golf – Rory McIlroy, Graeme McDowell and Darren Clarke - is only one year old.

The latest golfing sensation to come from the new ‘home of golf’ is none other than Bramble the Hedgehog, the unexpected star of the Northern Ireland Tourist Board’s latest television commercial to promote this year’s Irish Open.

Bramble is currently a permanent resident of a Wildlife Centre in Crumlin run by TACT (Talnotry Avian Care Trust), a charity which cares for and rehabilitates sick, injured and abandoned wild birds and mammals. Bramble was brought in from the wild when he was just a few days old and being blind has been lovingly looked after ever since. 

NITB destination marketing and PR manager Ruth Burns explains, she wasn’t expecting Bramble to become the star of the show.

“We chose Bramble to appear as an extra in the advert with shots of him scurrying across the green but he ended up impressing us all as he knocked the ball into the hole which was the perfect finish to the advert, and all the more remarkable when you consider that the poor wee fellow is blind.

“He’s now become the most talked about hedgehog in Northern Ireland and I’m pleased to say that he seemed to enjoy the experience as much as any of us.” 

The TV advert is part of an all-Ireland marketing drive to promote the Irish Open as a key event in NITB’s ongoing ‘ni2012: Our Time Our Place’ campaign. 

 The campaign runs across TV, radio and press with outdoor advertising at key ports of entry to the country and additional promotional literature distributed to golf clubs across Ireland. The TV campaign teed off in the Republic of Ireland earlier this month and hits Northern Ireland screens on May 28, running until June 24.

This year’s Irish Open is set to be one of the biggest in the competition’s history with some 100,000 spectators expected over the four days of the event from Thursday June 28 to Sunday July 1.

“Tickets have been selling faster this year than for many years which is no surprise given the strength of the line-up which includes three of current Major golf champions in our own Rory McIlroy and Darren Clarke, and the American USPGA Champion Keegan Bradley,” said NITB chief executive Alan Clarke

“Add the likes of Graeme McDowell, Padraig Harrington, John Daly and newly crowned World Matchplay Champion Nicolas Colsaerts from Belgium, to name bit a few, and it really promises to be a fantastic tournament.

“The fact that the Irish Open is returning to Northern Ireland for the first time in sixty years has created a real buzz around the event and I would advise golf fans not to risk turning up on the day expecting to purchase a ticket as they will most likely be disappointed, particularly at the weekend,” he added.

For more information on accommodation offers for the Irish Open as well as details on all of Northern Ireland’s golf courses and other ni 2012 events, click onwww.discovernorthernireland.com or www.ni2012.com

Advance day tickets for the Irish Open are available for £30, a saving of £5 on the gate price, with four day season tickets priced at £70, a saving of £10. Advance concession day and season tickets are priced at £20 and £50 respectively. 

Hospitality packages are sold out for the first two days, but are still available on Saturday and Sunday.

Donald BMW Win Reclaims Top Spot

Luke Donald regained top spot in the world rankings in emphatic fashion with a four-shot victory in the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth.

The reigning champion fired a final round of 68 to finish well clear of compatriot Justin Rose and Scotsman Paul Lawrie and retain his title.

The Englishman's sixth victory in the last 15 months also moves him back above Rory McIlroy, who had missed the cut by no less than eight shots on Friday, in the rankings.

Resuming his final round with a two-shot lead, Donald found himself joined at the top of the leaderboard by Rose just four holes into Sunday's play.

However, the 34-year-old put his foot on the accelerator to go clear once more, producing back-to-back birdies at the sixth and seventh.

Once he had gone three clear with a 25-foot putt at the short 10th, Donald never looked like being caught again. He picked up further shots at the 12th and 15th to take the first prize of almost £600,000 on 15 under par.

"To come and defend and get back to number one is very sweet indeed," Donald said afterwards.

"I was just trying to keep my head down and plug away. I was swinging well and I've putted well all week.

"I just needed to settle down a bit. This is a big week and I felt some of the pressure.

"After the fourth I didn't give him (Rose) another hole where he was teeing

off first other than the 18th. I got the job done.

"I take a great amount of satisfaction. It means I am doing the right things - the hard work is paying off and I have a great team around me."

It was all a far cry from 2011 at the same venue when a play-off was required to see off the challenge of Lee Westwood, with that victory seeing him also take over as world No.1 from the man he had beaten to the title.

Now Donald heads to American soil, playing in the Memorial tournament in Ohio next week as he builds up towards the US Open in San Francisco on June 14-17.

Rose missed a plethora of birdie chances to put pressure on his countryman and ended up signing for a 70, leaving him in a share for second place with Paul Lawrie (66). 

Peter Lawrie finished alone in fourth on eight under.

Lawrie Drives Home Fourth at BMW

A triple bogey on the seventh for Peter Lawrie on Sunday at the BMW PGA Championship was the worst error in an aggregate score of 280, which saw the Dubliner lead the event on the first two days – the flagship tournament for the European Tour. 

Then a remarkable double birdie finish, as he played in the second last group, secured fourth place outright, just three strokes behind his namesake Peter, and England’ Justin Rose – a winner already this season on the PGA Tour. 

With an opening round of 66 on Thursday, including an eagle on the par five 4th, signalled his intent early doors. In typically steady, the Dubliner did not relent throughout even when paired with world number 2, Luke Donald. 

In the end the title was not to be his on this occasion after the mishap before the turn. But his comeback on the back nine gave him a one under par 71 finish – to round off the weekends work with a payday of €225,00. In what has been so far a quiet season with only two top twenty finishes  – at The Sicilian Open and at Reale Seguros Open de España. 

Lawrie is now 38th in the Race to Dubai rankings. 

Peter claimed his maiden European Tour victory at the Open de España in 2008, defeating home favourite Ignacio Garrido in a play-off. Enjoyed a fine performance as defending champion in 2009, finishing tied third. 

he made history at the end of the 2003 season when he became the first Irish golfer to win the prestigious Sir Henry Cotton Rookie of the Year Award. 

Educated at the University College Dublin where he undertook a golf scholarship, Peter graduated to The European Tour through the European Challenge Tour, finishing fourth in the Rankings at the end of 2002. All helped by a superb victory in the Challenge Tour Grand Final. 

His elevation to The European Tour was testament to his determination, having spent one year on the Asian Tour and three seasons on the Challenge Tour before achieving his goal. 

Peter was capped at boys, youths and national level for Ireland as an amateur. In his early days as a professional, he played in Asia and Florida, gaining a ‘Mini Tour’ victory in America’s Sunshine State.

BMW PGA Championship Result

Higgins Could Add Wales Open to Plans

David Higgins has ended a magnificent performance at the BMW PGA Championship on a sun kissed Wentworth Course, with a two under par 70, and slaying a tough West Course that over the past four days has taken a number of high profile Irish casualties.

None less than the most recent World Number One, Rory McIlroy, the current Open Champion Darren Clarke, the 2010 US Open Champion, Graeme McDowell and three time major winner Padraig Harrington - along with  a string of other illustrious names.

Amidst all that carnage Higgins exuded composure travelling around Wentworth with a remarkable consistency  - that suggests there is more to come - and carding three rounds of 70, with the one blip on a windy Saturday when reaching the historic gothic clubhouse in a two over par 74

In his third consecutive appearance at the BMW PGA Championship Higgins slayed his own demons on Sunday, conscious of his chase to clinch a vital tenth place - and eligible for an automatic invite to next week's Wales Open at The Celtic Manor.

A task easier said than done, and one filled with memories of two bad outings no doubt on the West Course in 2011 and 2010 when he missed the cut - and by double digits. 


On Sunday though the likable Kerry man proved  a few things to himself and no doubt to many others too.

Armed with a textbook swing, Higgins has been convinced that he has unfinished business on the European Tour, a place he departed from when he lost his automatic playing rights in 2008. Albeit he qualified for the Open Championship at Turnberry in 2009, Higgins has seen limited Tour Event - starts beyond his regular domination of the Irish PGA region order of merit.

A number of visits to Tour School over the past number of years have also proved fruitless, along with some disappointing outings at the Irish Open in Killarney. All enough perhaps to kill the desire of some. But not for David Higgins, who now can make more travel plans with his cheque for €78,300 in his back pocket, as a bonus.

An achievement  that deserves recognition.