Golf, by TourMiss

Defending champ Padraig Harrington again had plenty of Irish encouragement in a flawless four-under 67 on day one of the Portugal Masters. Harrington returned to the Victoria course clearly with a spring in his step and 12 months after ending an eight-year European Tour winless drought on the sun-splashed Algarve. The current World No. 158 looked refreshed after an ‘economy class’ share of 55th a week ago in the KLM Open. Harrington started his round from the 10th and picked-up three birdies ...

Atlanta, GA … European Tour ‘Rookie of the Year’ certainty Jon Rahm has set his sights on becoming only the second Spaniard after the late, great Seve Ballesteros to capture the European Tour No. 1 crown. Ballesteros won the then named ‘European Tour Order of Merit’ title on six occasions (1976 – 78, 1986, 1988 and 1991). And in the intervening 26-years no Spainard, including double Masters winning Jose Maria Olazabal or current Masters champion Sergio Garcia, ...

Atlanta, GA … Rory McIlroy’s frustrating golfing season certainly hasn’t affected a mischieveous sense of humour. The four-time Major winner laughed when quizzed who if he had the chance to ‘trade places’ with, champion Irish racehorse, Galileo. Galileo, and foaled in March 1998, is now retired and a very active sire. But in a racing career of just one year from October 2000 to October 2001 Galileo contested eight races winning six and finishing second and sixth in the ...

Atlanta, GA …. World No. 1 Dustin Johnson sympathises with Rory McIlroy declaring it ‘sucks’ both he and McIlroy suffered injuries this season. In April, Johnson arrived at Augusta National a red-hot favourite to capture the Masters having won his three prior events in succession. But then of the eve of the new season’s first Major Johnson slipped down the staircase of his rented Augusta house injuring his back and was forced out of the Masters just moments before tee-off. McIlroy’s ...

Atlanta, GA … European Tour ‘Rookie of the Year’ certainty John Rahm has set his sights on becoming only the second Spaniard after the late, great Seve Ballesteros to capture the European Tour No. 1 crown. Ballesteros won the then named ‘European Tour Order of Merit’ title on six occasions (1976 – 78, 1986, 1988 and 1991). And in the intervening 26-years no Spainard, including double Masters winning Jose Maria Olazabal or current Masters champion Sergio Garcia, ...

Bizarrely, Marc Leishman proudly still has the golf ball Greg Norman handed him as a then seven-year old at the 1991 Australian Masters. Leishman also revealed he also grew to admire Norman thanks also to a life-size cardboard cut-off of Norman a local Warrnambool Holden dealership presented to him that Leishman proudly kept in his bedroom. And in returning to competition for this week’s PGA Tour season-ending Tour Championship and FedEx Cup decider Leishman spoke of the inspiration he gleaned ...

Padraig Harrington will look to again draw on plenty of Irish support when he tees-up in the defence of his Portugal Masters title at Oceanic Villamoura. Harrington singled out the support from the many Irish fans present a year ago and soon after capturing the event on the Oceanico Victoria coures on the sun-splashed Algarve. The win was Harrington’s 15th on the European Tour but a first in eight years and 74 days, and a victory gap of having contested 115 Tour events since capturing the 2008 ...