KENNY PERRY UP TO FOURTH IN WORLD

American Kenny Perry has moved up to a career-best fourth in the world rankings just six weeks away from his 49th birthday.

Masters runner-up Perry fired a closing 63 to win the US Tour's Travelers Championship to move above Sergio Garcia, Henrik Stenson and Geoff Ogilvy.

Nick Dougherty's victory at the BMW International Open in Munich took him from 120th to 64th, but Ernie Els is out of the top 20 for the first time since 1993 and Justin Rose's missed cut in the States saw him drop him out of the game's top 50.

Latest leading positions: 1 Tiger Woods 10.28pts, 2 Phil Mickelson 8.44, 3 Paul Casey 6.91, 4 Kenny Perry 6.42, 5 Sergio Garcia 6.19, 6 Henrik Stenson 5.96, 7 Geoff Ogilvy 5.93, 8 Steve Stricker 5.34, 9 Jim Furyk 4.98, 10 Vijay Singh 4.92, 11 Padraig Harrington 4.64, 12 Camilo Villegas 4.60, 13 Sean O'Hair 4.49, 14 Robert Karlsson 4.27, 15 Anthony Kim 3.93, 16 Ian Poulter 3.83, 17 Lucas Glover 3.80, 18 Rory McIlroy 3.76, 19 Lee Westwood 3.62, 20 Ross Fisher 3.58.

Other leading Europeans: 27 Luke Donald, 28 Martin Kaymer, 32 Alvaro Quiros, 36 Soren Kjeldsen, 41 Miguel Angel Jimenez, 44 Graeme McDowell, 48 Oliver Wilson, 51 Justin Rose, 54 Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano, 55 Soren Hansen, 64 Nick Dougherty, 69 Anders Hansen, 72 Peter Hanson, 79 Francesco Molinari, 81 Thomas Levet, 83 Anthony Wall, 95 Johan Edfors.


GLOVER BREAKS INTO TOP 20
Baltimore Ravens agree to contract with free-agent receiver Kelley Washington

SIX UP FOR 2018 RYDER CUP

Six countries - France, Germany, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain and Sweden - have announced their intention to bid for the 2018 Ryder Cup.

The deadline for the submission of bids is the end of April next year, with the announcement expected in 2011.

Celtic Manor in Wales plays host next year, and the 2014 contest is at Gleneagles in Scotland. But when both were selected it was decided that after that the European home match would return to the continent if suitable venues could be found.

Valderrama in Spain staged the event in 1997, the only time it has gone to the continent.

European Ryder Cup Director Richard Hills said: "We have set the date by which bids must be received in order to provide each country with the optimum opportunity in the current economic climate to present their strongest possible bid.

"In setting the sporting and commercial criteria that will be used to assess bids, we have been quite clear that each country bid must be channelled through its National Golf Federation and that no bids from individual venues will be considered.

"Assuming that all necessary criteria are met, the 2018 Ryder Cup will be played in mainland Europe."

All six bidding nations have since 1972 when the European Tour officially began demonstrated their support for the development and growth of the game through not only hosting tournaments but also by nurturing the supply of players on to the world stage.

Together France, Germany, Holland, Portugal, Spain and Sweden will have hosted a total of 700 tournaments - 491 on The European Tour, 162 on the European Challenge Tour and 47 on the European Senior Tour - by the end of this season.

Moreover, 72 different players from those six countries have gained 309 wins on the European Tour.


Brian Westbrook of Philadelphia Eagles to undergo surgery, says agent
LANGER MAY RYDER AGAIN

LANGER MAY RYDER AGAIN

Bernhard Langer has refused to rule out the possibility of being Ryder Cup captain again at the age of 61 in 2018.

Germany is among six countries bidding to stage that year's match and when asked today whether he would be interested in leading the side if they are chosen, Langer replied: "If they (the Ryder Cup Committee) think I am still mentally with it and I haven't lost my marbles and I'm still capable of communicating and doing a good job, then maybe so.

"Why do you think I'm in the fitness room all the time?"

The double Masters champion, now the leading money-winner on the American Seniors Tour, was an outstanding captain in Detroit in 2004, leading the side to a record nine-point victory.

It seems unlikely he would be re-appointed, however.

Nick Faldo was 51 when he did the job last September and after the defeat in Louisville, Europe decided there were advantages in having an active player in charge and appointed Colin Montgomerie for next year's match in Wales.

Sweden, France, Portugal, Holland and Spain are also going to bid for what will be only the second match ever staged in continental Europe. Valderrama on the Costa del Sol played host in 1997.

It goes to Gleneagles in Scotland in 2014 before crossing the channel again.

Germany are now having their own bid process to choose which of six courses would host the match - Rosa Resort in Bad Saarow, Green Eagles in Winsen, Munchen-Valley in Munich, Gut Kaden in Hamburg, Schloss Beberbeck in Hofgeismar and Wittelsbacher Ausgleichsfond in Neuburg.

This weekend could see Langer become the oldest winner in European Tour history. After two rounds of 68 he is four behind Retief Goosen at the halfway point of the BMW International Open in Munich.


LANGER LOOKING FOR LANDMARK SUCCESS
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MONTY GETS THIRD RYDER WILD CARD
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PERRY TAKES TRAVELERS VICTORY

PGA Tour veteran Kenny Perry claimed his second victory of the year and jumped to the top of the FedEx Cup standings as he won the Travelers Championship in Connecticut.

Perry, 48, shot a final-round seven-under-par 63 at TPC River Highlands in Cromwell, to reach 22 under par for the tournament, three shots clear of David Toms, who closed with a 65 and Paul Goydos - the leader after 54 holes.

Ryan Moore (64), Hunter Mahan (64) and Ben Curtis (65) tied for fourth.

Perry, this year's Masters runner-up, won his 12th tournament since his 40th birthday in August 2000, his 14th in total and added to the FBR Open title he sealed at TPC Scottsdale, Arizona, back in February.

He had started the day a shot behind Goydos but as the overnight leader got off to a steady start, his veteran playing partner in the final group managed birdies at the par-four second and par-five sixth.

Goydos grabbed his first birdie at the par-four seventh but the lead changed hands at the next hole, a par three, which Perry birdied after dialling in off the tee to inside three feet and Goydos bogeyed after missing the green.

The gap widened further at the par-four 10th when Perry birdied and Goydos bogeyed to slip to 15 under while David Toms, in the penultimate group, birdied the 11th and John Merrick birdied the 12th almost simultaneously to assume a tie for second at 16 under.

Toms added birdies at 13, 15 and 16 while Goydos finished eagle, birdie, par, birdie but Perry clinched the title with further birdies of his own at 11, 15 and 17.

Tag Ridings and Casey Wittenberg finished in a tie for seventh at 16 under while Scott Verplank shot an eight-under-par 62 to get to 15 under for a tie for ninth with Bo Van Pelt.

US Open champion Lucas Glover claimed a tie for 11th place six days after his Bethpage Black heroics with a final-round 65 to join Merrick (69) and Anthony Kim (67) at 14 under.

Bubba Watson posted a 63 to get to 13 under in a tie for 14th with DJ Trahan, Boo Weekley and 50-year-old Michael Allen.

Greg Chalmers of Australia finished as the highest-placed international player after closing with a four-under 66 to end the week at 11 under in a tie 19th.

Sergio Garcia of Spain closed with a 66 to finish the event at seven under, tied for 43rd.

Collated final-round scores & totals (USA unless stated, par 70):

258 Kenny Perry 61 68 66 63

261 Paul Goydos 63 68 63 67, David Toms 65 65 66 65

263 Hunter Mahan 66 70 63 64, Ben Curtis 68 64 66 65, Ryan Moore 66 65 68 64

264 Casey Wittenberg 67 65 65 67, Tag Ridings 64 69 65 66

265 Bo Van Pelt 66 68 64 67, Scott Verplank 67 68 68 62

266 Anthony Kim 66 66 67 67, John Merrick 65 67 65 69, Lucas Glover 65 71 65 65

267 Michael Allen 68 65 67 67, Boo Weekley 64 71 67 65, Bubba Watson 66 68 70 63, D.J. Trahan 66 68 68 65

268 Zach Johnson 67 68 66 67

269 Robert Garrigus 66 69 68 66, Kyle Stanley 66 67 70 66, Greg Chalmers (Aus) 64 71 68 66, Bryce Molder 67 66 67 69

270 Michael Letzig 70 66 65 69, Chris Riley 67 67 66 70, J J Henry 66 70 68 66

271 Will MacKenzie 68 68 66 69, Chris Stroud 71 65 68 67, Kris Blanks 68 66 70 67, Mathew Goggin (Aus) 65 69 70 67, Brian Gay 66 68 70 67, Nick O'Hern (Aus) 68 68 67 68, Johnson Wagner 66 68 70 67, Webb Simpson 67 69 70 65

272 Spencer Levin 64 69 67 72, Brendon De Jonge 70 66 70 66, Matt Bettencourt 67 67 69 69, James Driscoll 68 69 68 67, Peter Lonard (Aus) 67 70 66 69, Jarrod Lyle (Aus) 67 67 66 72, Nathan Green (Aus) 69 67 68 68, Justin Leonard 69 66 68 69, Jason Bohn 67 70 67 68

273 Aaron Watkins 65 67 70 71, Scott McCarron 70 67 70 66, Sergio Garcia (Spa) 67 69 71 66, Ryuji Imada (Jpn) 70 67 70 66

274 Bill Lunde 67 68 70 69, Colt Knost 66 66 69 73, Mark Brooks 67 68 71 68, Brandt Snedeker 67 67 69 71

275 Charles Warren 63 72 69 71, Patrick Sheehan 67 70 67 71, Kevin Streelman 68 66 68 73, Charlie Wi (Kor) 66 68 71 70, Vijay Singh (Fij) 66 70 70 69, Joe Durant 67 68 68 72, Jay Williamson 67 68 70 70, Y.E. Yang (Kor) 65 71 70 69

276 D.A. Points 65 72 69 70, Ricky Barnes 65 70 72 69, Aron Price (Aus) 67 68 70 71, Chad Campbell 67 69 69 71

277 Luke List 66 69 70 72, Tim Petrovic 68 69 71 69, Rich Beem 68 67 72 70, Gary Woodland 69 67 72 69, Bob Heintz 68 67 68 74

279 Chez Reavie 66 67 73 73, Jason Gore 68 68 73 70

280 Jerry Kelly 65 70 73 72, Marc Leishman (Aus) 71 66 72 71

282 Vaughn Taylor 69 68 72 73


PERRY WON’T DWELL ON MASTERS FAILURE
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PERRY NOT THINKING ABOUT HISTORY
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LANGER LOOKING FOR LANDMARK SUCCESS

Bernhard Langer's 16th attempt to become the oldest winner in European Tour history might just be the one when he finally does it.

The 51-year-old German goes into the final round of the BMW International Open in Munich - not far from where he grew up - in second place only two behind South African star Retief Goosen.

If he does go on to take the 75th victory of his professional career Langer will look back on the 16th hole of his third round today as a key moment.

After driving into the trees on the reachable par four, the double Masters champion, five times a runner-up in this event without ever winning it, chipped far too strongly but then sank a birdie putt of around 70 feet.

Playing his first event in Europe for over nine months Langer, now the leading money-winner on the US Champions Tour, had seven birdies in all for a 65 that took him onto the 15-under-par mark of 201.

The age record he is trying to break is that of Ireland's Des Smyth, who was 48 when he captured the 2001 Madeira Islands Open.

This is the one Tour event in his home country that Langer has never won, but only two years ago he was second to Swede Niclas Fasth - and that after starting with a 76 and surviving the halfway cut with nothing to spare.

"This is as close as I could get to winning at home and it would mean a lot," he said.

"It would also be very special with my son Stefan on my bag. We have only one more tournament together before he goes off to college.

"I'm at a stage where I just want to enjoy my golf. I don't want to grind any more and I don't have anything to prove - I've been very blessed."

Goosen, who has led since his opening 64 on Thursday, shot 67, but should have been even further in front.

He missed a putt of barely a foot on the long sixth and closed with a bogey six after finding a bad lie in a fairway bunker.

England's Nick Dougherty went in the water off the 18th tee - it has troubled him all week - and by also taking six fell into a tie for third on 14 under with Scot David Drysdale.

While Langer goes hunting one record on Sunday, Colin Montgomerie extended one he already held when he sank an eight-iron on the 156-yard eighth for his ninth Tour ace.

However, there was not a single birdie in his other 17 holes and after a 72 left him three under and out of the title hunt he said: "It was the only good shot I hit all day.

"It looked good all the way, but I played rubbish apart from that. I never made a birdie, which is terrible.

"I made as many holes-in-one as an amateur I believe. My iron play has always been my strength."

With a car only available on the short 17th, he was presented with a bottle of champagne for his feat, but it now looks certain that the Ryder Cup captain will complete a full year without a top 10 finish.

The last came when he was second to Spanish qualifier Pablo Larrazabal at the French Open last June.

As for 20-year-old Rory McIlroy, 10th in the US Open on Monday, he enters the final day joint 15th on nine under following a 69.

Asked how he would feel with the crowd bound to cheer Langer's every move in the final round, Goosen said: "Wherever I play everybody is against me - I don't play in South Africa that much.

"But it's good to have that - it psyches you up."

On the simple missed putt he said: "It was a shock. The ball went straight right off the club face. The greens are pretty soft and there are a lot of footprints around."

Collated third round scores & totals in the European Tour BMW International Open, Golfclub Munchen Nord-Eichenreid, Munich, Germany

(Gbr & Irl unless stated, par 72)

199 Retief Goosen (Rsa) 64 68 67

201 Bernhard Langer (Ger) 68 68 65

202 David Drysdale 70 64 68, Nick Dougherty 69 65 68

203 Soren Kjeldsen (Den) 68 65 70, James Kingston (Rsa) 67 69 67

204 Paul Broadhurst 69 70 65, Graeme Storm 70 70 64

205 Felipe Aguilar (Chi) 69 70 66, Rafael Echenique (Arg) 68 69 68, Thomas Levet (Fra) 68 67 70

206 Miguel Angel Jimenez (Spa) 69 67 70, Danny Willett 67 68 71, Pelle Edberg (Swe) 71 69 66

207 Gary Orr 70 70 67, Shiv Kapur (Ind) 71 66 70, Anders Hansen (Den) 69 69 69, Magnus A Carlsson (Swe) 73 68 66, Maarten Lafeber (Ned) 67 70 70, Louis Oosthuizen (Rsa) 69 69 69, Peter Lawrie 69 68 70, Rory McIlroy 71 67 69, Richard Green (Aus) 71 68 68, Bradley Dredge 72 69 66

208 Marco Ruiz (Par) 73 67 68, Scott Strange (Aus) 70 68 70, Phillip Price 67 72 69, David Lynn 67 70 71, Peter Hedblom (Swe) 70 69 69, Oliver Fisher 68 69 71

209 Gary Lockerbie 72 68 69, Jean-Baptiste Gonnet (Fra) 70 70 69, Stephen Dodd 68 69 72, Andrew Coltart 67 71 71, Fabrizio Zanotti (Par) 72 69 68, Gregory Bourdy (Fra) 67 71 71, Shiv Shankar Prasad Chowrasia (Ind) 69 70 70, Thongchai Jaidee (Tha) 69 66 74

210 Anthony Wall 74 66 70, Richard Finch 66 71 73, Jarmo Sandelin (Swe) 68 71 71, Markus Brier (Aut) 69 71 70, Klas Eriksson (Swe) 70 71 69, John Bickerton 70 70 70, Johan Edfors (Swe) 71 69 70

211 Robert Jan Derksen (Ned) 69 71 71, Chris Wood 71 69 71, Luke Donald 70 68 73, Steven O'Hara 71 70 70, Chinnarat Phadungsil (Tha) 69 69 73, Richard Sterne (Rsa) 72 68 71, Seve Benson 70 71 70

212 Lee Slattery 70 70 72, Niclas Fasth (Swe) 67 73 72, Bernd Wiesberger (Aut) 70 70 72, Henrik Stenson (Swe) 68 72 72, Michael Hoey 70 71 71

213 Gary Murphy 71 70 72, Gareth Maybin 71 68 74, Max Kramer (Aut) 71 69 73, Colin Montgomerie 70 71 72, Scott Drummond 71 69 73

214 Hennie Otto (Rsa) 72 69 73, Gonzalo Fdez-Castano (Spa) 69 71 74, Kenneth Ferrie 69 72 73, Marcus Fraser (Aus) 67 74 73

215 Joakim Haeggman (Swe) 72 67 76, Phillip Archer 69 72 74

217 Carlos Del Moral (Spa) 70 71 76

219 Michael Jonzon (Swe) 70 71 78, Barry Lane 68 73 78


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TOUR DROPS BRITISH MASTERS

AN OPEN FOR ALL AGES

From 59-year-old five-time winner Tom Watson to 16-year-old Italian sensation Matteo Manassero, the new and youngest-ever British Amateur champion, next month's Open Championship will be one for all ages.

But what Turnberry will not see is the first woman competitor.

It is four years now since the organising Royal and Ancient Club announced that the entry form was being changed to give top female players their chance.

So far, though, not one has even paid the Ј125 entry fee and tomorrow's 16 regional qualifiers around England, Scotland and Ireland will once more be male-only events.

Michelle Wie was big news when the change was made. At 14 she had been given an invitation to the US Tour's Sony Open in her native Hawaii and by missing the cut by only a single stroke all sorts of things started to be predicted for her.

That was 2004, the year after then world number one Annika Sorenstam had become the first woman since 1945 to compete on the men's Tour.

The Swede, now retired and expecting her first child, made it clear that her "battle of the sexes" was a one-off, but Wie was determined to keep on trying and while she has never got as close to surviving a Tour cut again she did get through the first stage of US Open qualifying in 2006.

To have the opportunity to do the same in The Open, however, Wie first has to finish in the top five of a women's major.

She did that three times as an amateur and then in her first three

as a professional, but not once in the last 11.

None of her fellow LPGA members has declared any intention to enter the Open regional qualifying should they earn the right and it looks like being a long time before that changes.

In the meantime there are some well-known men players still trying to earn a place in next month's field.

More than 1,500 tee it up tomorrow looking for around 150 places in the 36-hole final qualifying stage in Scotland the week after next.

Among those already exempt into that are double Masters champion Jose-Maria Olazabal, 1999 runner-up Jean Van de Velde, former European number one Ronan Rafferty and American Ryder Cup stars Fred Couples and Brad Faxon.

At that point 288 do battle for a mere 12 spots at Turnberry, but despite those odds hope springs eternal for all the professionals and amateurs now entering the fray with 54 holes to negotiate if they are to line up against Tiger Woods, Padraig Harrington and the rest.

They include 48-year-old Gary Wolstenholme, who way back in 1977 when he was just 16 caddied for his late father Guy in The Open best remembered for the "Duel in the Sun" between Watson and Jack Nicklaus.

Wolstenholme, who plays tomorrow at Pleasington in Blackburn, made his own Open debut at Muirfield in 1992 and appeared again at Sandwich in 2003, both times after winning the British amateur title.

The record points-scorer for Britain and Ireland in the Walker Cup is still most famous for beating Woods in the match at Porthcawl 14 years ago and decided to turn professional late last season to prepare for the seniors tour.

Boosted by earning a place in the US Open, he entered the European Tour qualifying school, but since failing in that has been trying to keep his game in shape in mini-tour events.

"I've played only seven tournaments so far this year, whereas as an amateur I would played about 19 by this stage," he said.

"I'm not as sharp as I'd like to be and that's frustrating, but I'm working hard and in the next couple of months I hope I can play some decent stuff.

"Qualifying is always a bit of a lottery, but if I can get through

then Turnberry is one of my favourite courses. I won the Scottish

stroke play title there and competed in a couple of Amateurs.

"I remember being caddie for my father very vividly. He was exempt through playing well (he was 17th) the previous year, but missed the cut."

Scotland's Gordon Sherry is another competing in the regional qualifying, in his case at Musselburgh.

Also a former British amateur champion and Walker Cup team-mate of Wolstenholme, great things were expected of the 6ft 8in Sherry when he came fourth in the 1995 Scottish Open and finished ahead of Woods in The Open at st Andrews the following week.

But his professional career never took off. He made six trips to the Tour school without once surviving it and is now 35.

Another trying for Turnberry is Guy McQuitty, who at the Ayrshire course in 1986 shot rounds of 95 and 87 for a 42 over par total that nobody has topped since.

Two years ago the 46-year-old had a kidney transplant and a heart pacemaker fitted. His health forced him to give up golf in 2003 and his return was the Open qualifier at Effingham in Surrey last year.

McQuitty failed then, but is back to give it another go.


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FISHER LAUDS NEW CHAMP GLOVER

Ross Fisher hailed surprise US Open champion Lucas Glover as a worthy winner after the American held off the world's best players at Bethpage Black.

England's Fisher landed his best finish in a major when he placed fifth, three shots behind Glover as the rain-drenched 2009 US Open finally came to a conclusion in dramatic fashion on its fifth day.

Fisher, 28, was in contention himself until a three-putt bogey at the par three 17th hole put paid to his chances and as Glover kept his cool to carry his lead home for the title.

Fisher congratulated Glover on conquering the fair but challenging 7,426-yard Bethpage Black course and the field in some of the wettest conditions ever seen at a US Open.

"To play that golf course under normal US Open conditions would have been brutally tough," Fisher said.

"But it was long. It was tough. But I think overall it's been a very fair test. And I think you'll see a true, worthwhile champion."

Fisher, though, was disappointed not to have done better with his putter.

"I think I'll probably go home and work on my putting, because not being funny, but if I would have held just a couple of putts, I think I could have won this comfortably," he said.

"I feel like I've hit the ball so, so good; probably the best I've hit it ever in a tournament. Just couldn't hole any putts.

"And I was working on it this morning before I went out and played, and it felt good.

"And just the same again, just unfortunately kept hitting good shots and I even had to stiff it, give me a range or holding it 30 foot, because I couldn't buy a putt.

"Hit good crucial ones at the start and towards the end when you're in the thick of things the last four, five holes, that's where tournaments are won and lost, and unfortunately my putter went cold. It's a shame, but fifth place I think on my own, it's not bad."


GLOVER JOINS GREATS
FAMILY COMES FIRST FOR FISHER
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BALLESTEROS BASKS IN NEW LEASE OF LIFE

Seve Ballesteros has made his first official public appearance since undergoing lifesaving surgery to remove a brain tumour last December.

The 52-year-old was speaking at the launch of a cancer federation that will bear his name in Spain and admits he has felt like he has been given a second chance at life.

"The first thing that I told the doctors after I woke up from the anaesthetic was that my new name was Seve Mulligan," he said in reference to the golf rule which permits a player to retake a shot.

"Nine months ago my life was hanging by a thread. I feel now like I have a mulligan in life."

The five-time major winner was diagnosed with a brain tumour after losing consciousness at Madrid Airport last October.

He spent the next 66 days in La Paz hospital in Madrid where he underwent four operations before being allowed to return to his home in Bilbao on December 9.

Ballesteros has been undergoing chemotherapy treatment since and got the chance to praise the doctors who performed the operations to remove the tumour, describing their work as "a miracle".

The charismatic Spaniard also likened his fight against the ailment to the birdie putt he sank on the 18th at St Andrews to help win the Open in 1984 - which he believes required a similar amount of willpower.

He added to BBC Sport: "My recovery is like The Open in 1984 when the ball hovered on the lip of the hole. With all my energy I willed the ball to drop in and it did.

"With that ability and the doctors' hands, I am here now."


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NILSSON CRUISES TO VICTORY

Christian Nilsson stormed to the Saint-Omer Open title with a six-stroke victory in northern France on Sunday.

The Swede went one better than his runner-up finish last year as a final bogie-free round of 69 left him 13 under par for the tournament and earned him his first European Tour triumph.

Nilsson, who held a four-shot lead after the third round, never came under any pressure as the challenge of England's James Morrison was wrecked by an awful 76 in the final round.

The man from Surrey looked to be the only threat to Nilsson going into the final day's play, but ended up 11 shots back.

Portugal's Jose-Filipe Lima finished second on seven under par thanks to a three-under 68 today.

Four players, including Englishman Richard McEvoy after an excellent final-round 67, tied for third on three under.

Spaniard Javier Colombo produced the joint-lowest final round, his five-under 66 giving him a share of third as well.

Italian Lorenzo Gagli and another Swede, Ake Nilsson, were the other two players on three under.

Collated final round scores & totals in the European Tour SAINT-OMER OPEN presented by Neuflize OBC, Aa Saint Omer GC, Lumbres, Saint Omer, France

(Gbr & Irl unless stated, par 71):

271 Christian Nilsson (Swe) 68 69 65 69

277 Jose-Filipe Lima (Por) 69 71 69 68

281 Ake Nilsson (Rsa) 71 71 68 71, Richard McEvoy 72 74 68 67, Javier Colomo (Spa) 73 71 71 66, Lorenzo Gagli (Ita) 71 71 68 71

282 Andrew Tampion (Aus) 69 70 73 70, Sion Bebb 70 72 67 73, James Morrison 67 69 70 76

283 Inder Van Weerelt (Ned) 73 73 71 66, Stuart Manley 71 71 70 71, Steven O'Hara 72 70 72 69, Edoardo Molinari (Ita) 73 71 69 70, Kane Webber (USA) 70 71 74 68

284 Anthony Grenier (Fra) 75 70 70 69, Jamie McLeary 75 69 70 70, Adam Gee 70 69 71 74, Alessandro Tadini (Ita) 70 73 69 72, Peter Whiteford 69 76 68 71, Matthew Cort 73 71 68 72, Wade Ormsby (Aus) 70 65 74 75, Simon Wakefield 74 66 70 74

285 Andreas Hogberg (Swe) 69 75 70 71, Jan Are Larsen (Nor) 73 71 69 72, Eric Ramsay 75 71 68 71, Fredrik Andersson Hed (Swe) 65 73 71 76, Christopher Doak 72 70 71 72

286 George Murray 71 73 67 75, Carlos Del Moral (Spa) 67 74 73 72, Andrew Butterfield 71 73 73 69, Peter Baker 73 69 69 75, Chinnarat Phadungsil (Tha) 73 69 69 75, Anthony Snobeck (Fra) 71 71 75 69, Andrew McArthur 70 72 73 71, Mark f Haastrup (Den) 72 73 68 73, Ricardo Santos (Por) 71 73 69 73

287 Branden Grace (Rsa) 71 75 72 69, Ben Mason 74 72 71 70, Santiago Luna (Spa) 74 72 71 70, Francois Calmels (Fra) 71 74 70 72, Carlos Rodiles (Spa) 71 74 71 71, Julien Grillon (Fra) 75 71 71 70

288 Martin Wiegele (Aut) 70 72 72 74, Tony Carolan (Aus) 66 73 73 76, Gareth Paddison (Nzl) 70 73 70 75, John Parry 73 70 75 70, Matthew Millar (Aus) 71 69 70 78, Peter Gustafsson (Swe) 76 69 72 71, Thomas Feyrsinger (Aut) 69 72 76 71, Cesar Monasterio (Arg) 75 70 72 71

289 Ben Evans 68 74 73 74, Dennis Kupper (Ger) 71 73 72 73, Birgir Hafthorsson (Ice) 76 68 70 75, Kasper Jorgensen (Den) 69 74 77 69

290 Garry Houston 74 72 72 72, Adrien Bernadet (Fra) 73 73 75 69

291 Greig Hutcheon 75 71 73 72, Benoit Teilleria (Fra) 74 72 72 73, Christophe Brazillier (Fra) 76 70 72 73

292 Chris Gane 72 73 75 72, Julien Clement (Swi) 74 71 75 72, Michael Curtain (Aus) 66 79 74 73, Mikko Korhonen (Fin) 69 77 75 71

293 Unho Park (Aus) 75 68 72 78, Alfredo Garcia-Heredia (Spa) 72 73 71 77, Kalle Brink (Swe) 70 75 75 73, Chih-bing Lam (Sin) 72 73 74 74

294 Matthew Zions (Aus) 73 73 75 73

296 Peter Kaensche (Nor) 74 72 76 74, Jean-Francois Remesy (Fra) 75 71 76 74, Cedric Menut (Fra) 74 71 73 78

297 Rolf Muntz (Ned) 74 71 74 78, Jamie Moul 72 74 76 75

298 Daniel Denison 72 73 75 78

300 Iain Pyman 71 72 72 85, Robert Coles 74 72 74 80

301 Andre Bossert (Swi) 72 73 77 79

DQ: 217 Jonathan Caldwell 73 73 71

Nilsson said after sealing victory: "It feels great. I'm still in shock at the moment I think.

"It's obviously a massive win for me, so it might take a while to realise just what it means.

"I was very nervous this morning and I didn't sleep that well last night either. I was just trying to focus on how I was going to play, but so many thoughts were going round my head at the same time.

"So I was extremely pleased with how I handled the pressure today. I'm just so, so happy."

The Swede added on the PGA European Tour website: "I had a tough start to the year, but now that's in the past, and I can look to the future."


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BRITISH DUO MAKE IT QUICK

DUVAL BACK IN FAMILIAR TERRITORY

David Duval believes he is back where he belongs after tying for second place at the US Open.

Duval landed his biggest pay day since winning the 2001 Open, tying with Phil Mickelson and Ricky Barnes behind champion Lucas Glover with a cheque for $559,830 - having won $771,861 in the six years before the tournament.

During that time, the former world number one has struggled with his game and until this week at Bethpage Black had completed just four of his 13 PGA Tour events this year.

A two-under-par total on the second-longest course in US Open history has left the American satisfied he can compete once again at the highest level.

"It's what I want," Duval said.

"It may be arrogance, but it's where I feel like I belong.

"I was glad to come up here and hit the golf ball and control myself like I've been saying I've been doing, and how I've been talking about how I know I'm playing a lot better than my results have been showing.

"I stand before you certainly happy with how I played, but extremely disappointed in the outcome.

"I had no question in my mind I was going to win the golf tournament today."


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GLOVER JOINS GREATS
GLOVER BREAKS INTO TOP 20

GLOVER JOINS GREATS

Lucas Glover savoured his first few minutes as a US Open champion alongside Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer and Tiger Woods and said he hoped he wouldn't "downgrade" the title.

Glover held his nerve at Bethpage Black on Monday to hold off the challenge, of major winners Phil Mickelson, David Duval and defending champion Woods and win the 2009 championship by two strokes after a three-over-par round of 73.

When his rivals crumbled over the closing holes, Glover produced his only birdie of the round at the 16th to pull clear and par his way home for the win.

It was just the 29-year-old's second tournament victory in eight years as a professional, his only other win coming in 2005 at the Funai Classic, a low-key event at the end of the PGA Tour season and held at a Disney resort.

Yet while most children dream of a trip to Walt Disney World, Glover said he always wanted to be a US Open champion, joining the likes of Ben Hogan, Nicklaus and Palmer.

"I dreamed about it as a kid and now I've pulled it off. Here I stand," Glover said.

"I get to be beside them. I don't know. It's an honour to be on the trophy with names such as these.

"I hope I don't downgrade it or anything with my name on there.

"It's an honour, and I'm just excited and happy as I can be to be on here."

Glover said he had been expecting a final-round charge from Mickelson, who tied for second with Duval and Ricky Barnes, his overnight co-leader, and world number one Woods, who finished tied for sixth, four shots back.

"We were waiting on it," he said. "You knew Tiger and Phil were going to make a move, and they did. And Ricky and I started coming back. That probably motivated them more.

"But, yeah, I was watching (them). You have to. I do...just like to know where I sit and what I need to do."

Not that Glover wasn't anxious as he approached the closing holes.

"I'd be lying to say I wasn't nervous," he said. "I had the knees knocking pretty good on 16, 17 and 18. But I pulled it off and executed some pretty good golf shots."


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GLOVER BREAKS INTO TOP 20

Lucas Glover's US Open victory has taken him from 71st to 18th in the new world rankings. He began the year down at 177th.

Joint runner-up David Duval, meanwhile, has leapt an incredible 740 places to 142nd. The former world number one had missed the cut in seven of his previous nine events and last had a top 10 finish in October 2002.

Latest leading positions:

1 Tiger Woods 10.50, 2 Phil Mickelson 8.59, 3 Paul Casey 6.96, 4 Sergio Garcia 6.40, 5 Henrik Stenson 6.12, 6 Geoff Ogilvy 6.02, 7 Kenny Perry 5.53, 8 Steve Stricker 5.43, 9 Vijay Singh 5.11, 10 Jim Furyk 4.94.

11 Padraig Harrington 4.74, 12 Camilo Villegas 4.67, 13 Sean O'Hair 4.45, 14 Robert Karlsson 4.35, 15 Anthony Kim 3.96, 16 Rory McIlroy 3.81, 17 Ian Poulter 3.80, 18 Lucas Glover 3.70, 19 Ernie Els 3.64, 20 Lee Westwood 3.62

Other leading Europeans:

22 Ross Fisher, 24 Luke Donald, 27 Martin Kaymer, 30 Alvaro Quiros, 37 Soren Kjeldsen, 43 Miguel Angel Jimenez, 46 Graeme McDowell, 48 Justin Rose, 49 Oliver Wilson, 53 Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano, 55 Soren Hansen, 66 Peter Hanson, 67 Anders Hansen, 76 Francesco Molinari, 77 Anthony Wall, 83 Thomas Levet, 89 Johan Edfors, 94 Fredrik Jacobson.


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KARLSSON OUT OF US OPEN

Robert Karlsson has pulled out of the US Open because of an eye infection.

The Swede has withdrawn after failing to beat the infection, which causes a lack of depth perception in his left eye.

The Ryder Cup star's place at Bethpage State Park will go to New York native Andrew Svoboda, who earns the chance to play in front of his home crowd having claimed the first reserve place with rounds of 70 and 69 in qualifying rounds at Century Country Club and Old Oaks.

Svoboda will tee off with Henrik Stenson and Steve Stricker on Thursday morning.


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IMMELMAN WITHDRAWS FROM US OPEN

Former Masters champion Trevor Immelman has withdrawn from next week's US Open citing tendonitis, tournament organisers announced on Sunday.

The South African told United States Golf Association officials that tendonitis in his left wrist and elbow would prevent the 2008 Masters winner from competing at Bethpage State Park's Black Course.

First reserve Clinton Jensen, of the USA, will take Immelman's place in the field for the second major of the year having lost a play-off earlier this month at the Orlando, Florida sectional qualifier to Gary Woodland for the third and final qualifying spot.

Immelman follows American Dudley Hart (back) and Sweden's Robert Karlsson (eye infection) as players to have scratched from next week's championship.


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HARRINGTON TUMBLES FROM TOP TEN

Padraig Harrington has fallen out of the top 10 in the world - 10 months after his back-to-back wins in The Open and US PGA Championship put him in third position and poised to challenge Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson.

Harrington's early exit from the Memorial tournament on Friday made it three missed cuts in his last four starts and he has not had a top 10 finish since January.

Woods, meanwhile, has widened his lead at the top again with a brilliant one-stroke victory at Muirfield Village. The second win of his comeback from injury came with an outrageous chip-in for eagle on the long 11th and then two closing birdies.

Denmark's Jeppe Huldahl, surprise winner of the Celtic Manor Wales Open after no top 10s in his previous 44 European Tour starts, is up from 377th to 202nd.

Latest leading positions: 1 Tiger Woods 10.51pts, 2 Phil Mickelson 8.14, 3 Paul Casey 6.94, 4 Sergio Garcia 6.54, 5 Geoff Ogilvy 6.17, 6 Henrik Stenson 5.98, 7 Kenny Perry 5.62, 8 Steve Stricker 5.50, 9 Vijay Singh 5.12, 10 Jim Furyk 5.02

11 Padraig Harrington 4.97, 12 Camilo Villegas 4.80, 13 Sean O'Hair 4.43, 14 Robert Karlsson 4.42, 15 Anthony Kim 3.91, 16 Ernie Els 3.75, 17 Rory McIlroy 3.75, 18 Ian Poulter 3.71, 19 Lee Westwood 3.67, 20 Zach Johnson 3.61

Other leading Europeans: 21 Luke Donald, 23 Martin Kaymer, 24 Alvaro Quiros, 29 Ross Fisher, 36 Soren Kjeldsen, 38 Miguel Angel Jimenez, 42 Justin Rose, 46 Oliver Wilson, 48 Graeme McDowell, 49 Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano, 65 Soren Hansen, 67 Anders Hansen, 73 Peter Hanson, 77 Francesco Molinari, 80 Anthony Wall, 87 Thomas Levet, 94 Fredrik Jacobson, 98 Johan Edfors, 100 Darren Clarke


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HARRINGTON ‘HONOURED’ BY AWARD
CASEY CLIMBS TO SIXTH

OGILVY HOPES TO LIE LOW IN US OPEN

World number five Geoff Ogilvy is hoping to again fly under the radar at next week's US Open at Bethpage Black in New York.

The 31-year-old won the Chrysler Classic of Tucson in 2005 and then the Accenture Match Play Championship in March 2006, but was not among those considered the leading contenders for the 2006 US Open at Winged Foot.

And even in the final round, although he led by two shots at one point, most expected Phil Mickelson to go on and claim victory, having won the US Masters twice including just two months earlier and also the 2005 US PGA Championship.

But Ogilvy made successive pars at the final two holes to set the clubhouse mark at plus five and both Mickelson and Scot Colin Montgomerie collapsed with double bogeys at the 72nd hole as Ogilvy emerged victorious by a stroke.

Ogilvy concedes he will not enter next week's major as such an unknown, having now won six times in the United States including a second Accenture title earlier this year, but he is hoping to again avoid the limelight until the final-day reckoning.

"Tiger (Woods) has won his second tournament for the year and Phil's had an up and down last month off the course, so that's going to be a very good story, so media attention-wise I think it won't be too crazy (for me)," Ogilvy said.

"My own expectations have probably gone up a little bit from back in 2006, you can't help but have raised expectations after you win a major. So I go in there I guess considering myself more of a chance than maybe I did before.

"They're (Woods and Mickelson) going to be the stories so I'll just go along and play the bit part and hopefully play well in the tournament and get the attention at the end of the tournament instead of the start."

Ogilvy will not play this week's St Jude Classic, preferring to put his feet up at home in Scottsdale with his family and also do a little bit of fine-tuning, having last week had his first look at Bethpage.

The Victorian, who broke his duck on Australian soil last December when he won the Australian PGA Championship at Hyatt regency Coolum, had the course all but to himself as a USGA official was the only other person playing at the time.

And while he did not finish last weekend's Memorial tournament as well as he would have liked - climbing into contention with a 63 on Saturday only to derail his chances with an eight at the 14th on the way to a 75 on Sunday - Ogilvy is pleased with his form and sees parallels with 2006.

"Last week was a funny one. The first few rounds I didn't play that great and then I had a pretty good round in the third round which was getting back to some really good form there," he added.

"Sunday I actually played okay, I just threw in a horror number on the 14th hole. All in all my form was pretty decent, that hole is a tricky hole and traditionally there's always a couple of guys who mess it right up and I was one of those guys last week.

"The rest of it I was really happy with. Saturday was the best score I've had on a pretty tough golf course for a while. I think I can pretty much disregard one bad hole and take quite a lot of confidence out of last week.

"I would've thought that it's (my form) very similar to 2006, I'm pretty happy with my game. I feel like I'm capable of playing well enough in a week's time, but golf is a funny game and it comes and goes so I'll get there and I'll do the best I can this week to be ready and hopefully I get there feeling really good."


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MONTGOMERIE SEEKS RETURN TO FORM

MONTY BACKS CASEY FOR MAJOR GLORY

Colin Montgomerie believes Paul Casey can fulfill his "great potential" and and win a major in 2009.

The Englishman moved up to third spot in the world rankings following his one-shot victory in the BMW PGA Championship last month.

Casey's success at Wentworth meant he became the first Brit to break into the top three since Montgomerie. Nick Faldo, Sandy Lyle and Ian Woosnam are the only others to achieve the feat since the rankings began in 1986.

European captain Montgomerie admitted to Sky Sports News that he is not surprised by the rise of his former Ryder Cup team-mate.

"He's always had great potential because of the length he can hit the ball," he said ahead of the duo participating in the Wales Open.

"If he can just get that putting right, which if there was a weakness then that was it, then he will be holing out well. Then he will win again.

"He's risen very, very quickly - from the 20s at the start of the year. There's an awful lot of talent in Europe and he's one of (them)."

Montgomerie now feels Casey can kick on and win one of the three remaining majors this year - starting with the US Open at Bethpage Black on June 18.

However, the Scot also feels there are several other leading European candidates for success - including Rory McIlroy.

"Paul is a potential Major winner," Montgomerie enthused.

"Padraig Harrington has opened the door if you like, and said to the rest of Europe that yes, it is possible.

"There's a (Sergio) Garcia waiting in the wings for a major. There's a Paul Casey, there's a (Henrik) Stenson, there's a (Robert) Karlsson, there's a (Lee) Westwood, there's a (Rory) McIlory. There's a number of them.

"The Open Championship coming up at Turnberry will be a fantastic event."


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MONTGOMERIE SEEKS RETURN TO FORM
MONTY BIDDING FOR US OPEN BERTH

IT WAS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME - TIGER

Tiger Woods said he knew he'd hit top form again soon after capturing The Memorial title.

The world number one silenced any doubters by closing with two birdies to cap a brilliant final-round 65 in Ohio.

And afterwards he said that he'd never worried about his ability to again hit the heights following that long lay-off after knee surgery.

He said: "It was just a matter of time. As I said, I was just starting to go practice after my rounds. Quail Hollow, hit a few balls only two of the days. TPC I was able to hit consistently. I was starting to get physically good enough where I could do that. If I had a problem, I could go on the range and fix it. I was get to go that point where I could start doing these things again.

"My practice sessions started getting longer at home. Hit more balls, play more golf, all these things. People don't realise you need to do that. You need to have that ability. You can't just think about your swing and how to be great the next day. I needed to do the reps and do some good practice sessions this past couple of weeks. It came together this week."

Woods' return to his best comes at the perfect time with the US Open at Bethpage less than a fortnight away.

He admitted: "It was nice to play this well going into the U.S. Open. This is how you have to hit it in order to win U.S. Opens. Especially Bethpage. That golf course is as big as they come.

"You know, with the rough as deep, even with it graduated, it's super thick. From the guys that I've talked to who have already played it, they said it's already - you really can't get to some of these greens if you hit the ball, even in the first cut.

"It's just one of those things where you have to hit the ball well all week. I did that in 2002. That was one of the reasons why I was up there."


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RAMSAY OUT IN FRONT IN WALES

European Tour rookie Richie Ramsay takes a one-shot lead into the third round of the Celtic Manor Wales Open - and hopes his experience of playing with some of the biggest names in golf will now pay dividends.

After becoming the first Scot in 108 years to win the US Amateur title three years ago Ramsay partnered Phil Mickelson at The Masters, Tiger Woods at the US Open and Padraig Harrington in The Open.

The 25-year-old from Aberdeen missed the cut in all three, but after rounds of 68 and 67 so far this week he is seven under par on the course where next year's Ryder Cup will take place.

Having also partnered Sergio Garcia a week ago at the European Open Ramsay said: "They've all got great talent, but they can grind out a score when they are not playing so well.

"Sometimes I can be a bit hard on myself, but I've learnt to take the positives of each round more now.

"Sergio's been my favourite since I've been a little kid and to play with him was brilliant." Even more so because he out-scored the world number four by six with a 68.

Ramsay did not drop a stroke today and added: "Ball-striking it was up there with the best. I didn't miss a green and I missed three birdie putts inside six feet."

The two Englishmen right on his heels are both looking to improve on recent near-misses.

Robert Rock lost a play-off for the Irish Open to amateur Shane Lowry - still taking the first prize of Ј438,000 softened the blow of that - while Ross Fisher was pipped for the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth by Paul Casey.

In an event disappointingly featuring only three of the world's top 50 Fisher is the highest-ranked player at 23rd and he showed his class with a 66.

"This is a great opportunity - a chance to cash in big time," he said. "I obviously didn't want to miss the cut defending the European Open last week, but after a weekend off I feel as fresh as a daisy and I probably needed it."

Rock reached eight under, then dropped four strokes in three holes, then finished with two birdies like Fisher.

"I felt myself taking less and less time over the shots and it just slipped away a bit, but when we got to the next leaderboard I was relieved to see I hadn't put myself four or five behind."

He does not have to worry about Lowry this weekend. It is now two missed cuts out of two as a professional for only the third amateur to win a Tour title - and both of them by wide margins.

The 22-year-old improved just two shots on his opening 75 to exit on 10 over.

Ryder Cup captain Colin Montgomerie is only three behind Ramsay after a second successive 69 - and, given that he has not had a top 10 finish for almost a year, that is a huge boost for a tournament so short on star names.

It promised to be even better for the 45-year-old when he set off with three birdies in a row and shared top spot.

But it was a sign of how much his confidence has suffered when he said that, even with that start, he was happy with his score.

"It could have and should have been better, but I am learning to accept what's given," commented Montgomerie.

Opposite number Corey Pavin, taking his first look at the cup venue, also repeated his first day score, but in his case it was another 72 and he had to wait several hours before discovering that he had made it into the final 36 holes with nothing to spare.

The former US Open champion had already launched a charm offensive, saying his warm reception so far has left him wondering if there is a mean person in Wales.


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MONTY ASKS FOR DOOR CHANGE

Colin Montgomerie's attention to detail as Ryder Cup captain has gone as far as asking for a change to the doors into the team rooms at Celtic Manor.

In his first "Captain's Blog" on the Ryder Cup website Montgomerie, who along with opposite number Corey Pavin is competing at the venue in the Wales Open this week, revealed that he might just have saved somebody from being knocked out of the match.

"There is a quaint old Scottish saying which goes along the lines of 'every mickle maks a muckle'," he wrote.

"Basically what it means is that it is important to consider all the little elements which go together to make up the big goal you are trying to achieve.

"That phrase was brought home to me once again by an incident during my visit to Celtic Manor.

"We are lucky that everything there is purpose-built for the Ryder Cup, including the team rooms which can be entered and exited by two big wooden doors.

"Although they were beautiful, as I was standing there looking at them something didn't feel right and it suddenly dawned on me - you couldn't see who was on the other side.

"Now while that might not seem a big problem, imagine you are coming back off the golf course and are just about to put your hand on the handle to pull the door open when one of your team-mates comes barging out of the room from the other side.

"Bang! The door smashes into your hand and that is your Ryder Cup finished right there and then. Twelve months of sweat and toil to get into the team taken away in an instant.

"I immediately alerted the officials to the issue and that will be changed immediately either by making each door only open one way or by putting glass panels in both the doors so you can see who is on the other side."


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RED-HOT DONALD LEADS BY THREE

Luke Donald shot a sparkling eight-under-par 64 on the first day of the Memorial tournament to take a three-shot lead.

The Briton started his round with a bogey at the first but a run of six birdies in seven holes on the back nine propelled him up the leaderboard ahead of Americans Jim Furyk and Ted Purdy, Australia's Jason Day and South Africa's Thomas Aiken, who all carded opening rounds of 67.

It was the lowest score of Donald's PGA Tour season so far and having picked up eight shots in nine holes from the eighth.

"I just got on a hot streak," he said. "Eight under through nine holes, that doesn't happen very often but when you get on that roll, it feels pretty good. So I just kept going and made some birdies."

Purdy carded seven birdies but shipped a costly double bogey at the par three 12th, while Day finished with back-to-back bogeys.

Steve Marino, Stewart Cink, Mark Wilson sit tied for sixth at four under, with group of nine including world number one Tiger Woods, who has won the title three times at Muirfield Village Golf Club, tied for ninth a further shot back.

Elsewhere, Open champion Padraig Harrington struggled to a three over 75 alongside Vijay Singh.

Collated first-round scores (USA unless stated, par 72):

64 Luke Donald (Eng)

67 Thomas Aiken (Rsa), Jim Furyk, Ted Purdy, Jason Day (Aus)

68 Steve Marino, Stewart Cink, Mark Wilson

69 Tiger Woods, Rodney Pampling (Aus), Kevin Sutherland, Mike Weir (Can), Reinier Saxton (Ned), Johnson Wagner, Troy Matteson, Jonathan Byrd, Nicholas Thompson

70 Will MacKenzie, Steve Stricker, Ernie Els (Rsa), Ryuji Imada (Jpn)

71 Charley Hoffman, Zach Johnson, John Senden (Aus), Tom Lehman, Ben Curtis, Bubba Watson, Martin Kaymer (Ger), David Duval, Matt Bettencourt, Tom Pernice Jnr., Chez Reavie, Kevin Na, Camilo Villegas (Col)

72 Michael Letzig, Jerry Kelly, Charl Schwartzel (Rsa), Erik Compton, Davis Love III, Lee Janzen, Geoff Ogilvy (Aus), Kenny Perry, Daniel Chopra (Swe), Robert Allenby (Aus), Mark Calcavecchia, Marc Turnesa, Stuart Appleby (Aus)

73 Nick Watney, Bart Bryant, Todd Hamilton, James Nitties (Aus), Nick O'Hern (Aus), Webb Simpson, Shaun Micheel, Y.E. Yang (Kor), Chris DiMarco, Steve Flesch, Matt Kuchar, Alex Cejka (Ger), Paul Casey (Eng), Dustin Johnson, Mathew Goggin (Aus), K J Choi (Kor), Rocco Mediate, Carl Pettersson (Swe), D.J. Trahan

74 Scott McCarron, Billy Mayfair, Greg Owen (Eng), Jose-Maria Olazabal (Spa), Hunter Mahan, Brett Quigley, Bill Haas, Marc Leishman (Aus), Richard Sterne (Rsa)

75 Tim Herron, Mark Brooks, Lucas Glover, Jeff Quinney, Woody Austin, John Mallinger, Charles Howell III, D.A. Points, Vijay Singh (Fij), Ian Poulter (Eng), Padraig Harrington (Irl), Ryan Moore

76 Jeff Overton, Steve Lowery, Jeff Klauk, Billy Andrade, Richard S Johnson (Swe), George McNeill, Sean O'Hair, Tim Petrovic, Ken Duke

77 Charles Warren, Chris Stroud, Adam Scott (Aus), Jason Dufner, James Driscoll, Kevin Streelman, Peter Lonard (Aus), Fredrik Jacobson (Swe), James Kamte (Rsa)

78 Brian Davis (Eng)

79 Chris Wilson, Danny Lee (Nzl), Aaron Baddeley (Aus), Scott Piercy, Cliff Kresge

80 John Rollins, Justin Rose (Eng), Ryan Palmer

81 Bo Van Pelt, Parker McLachlin, Jesper Parnevik (Swe)

82 J.B. Holmes

83 Brad Faxon

86 Kevin Chappell


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CLARK TAKES CONTROL

LOWRY SCOOPS AWARD

He may have been a member of the European Tour for less than a month, but Ireland's Shane Lowry has already won a Golfer of the Month award.

The 22-year-old amateur winner of the Irish Open, now a professional, has been named as the winner of the May prize on the circuit ahead of a list of candidates which included Swede Henrik Stenson for his Players Championship victory in Florida and Paul Casey for his third win of the year at the BMW PGA Championship.

Lowry became only the third amateur ever to capture a Tour title and in the second round at County Louth fired a 62 which matched the lowest round by an amateur in the circuit's history.


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INSIDE TRACK - THE MEMORIAL

Memorial Tournament

Course: Muirfield Village Golf Club

Location: Dublin, Ohio

Since: 1976

Yardage: 7,366

Par: 72

Low winning total: 268 Tom Lehman (1994)

Course Record: 61 John Houston (1996)

Field: 120

Cut: Top 70 plus ties after two days

Tee Off: Thursday 12:30 GMT.

Overview

The course was officially opened on Memorial Day in 1974 with an exhibition match between Jack Nicklaus and Tom Weiskopf. Since the first full field event in 1976 the Memorial tournament has grown in prestige and is now widely recognised as one of the top events outside the majors.

The tournament is hosted by Jack Nicklaus and always attracts a strong field. This year is no exception with seven of world's top 10 players in attendance, 18 different major winners and 12 tournament winners from 2009.

Last Time Out

Kenny Perry became the oldest winner of the Memorial Perry aged 47 nine months and 22 days. He made 6 straight birdies (holes 11-16) on his way to an opening round 66 which left him one shot behind Matthew Goggin. Rounds of 71 and 74 left Perry trailing Goggin by three strokes after the third round.

A final round 69 saw him win by two strokes from a quartet of players (Matthew Goggin, Jerry Kelly, Justin Rose and Mike Weir) to record his third Memorial victory. His winning score of eight-under 280 was the highest winning score since 1985 when Hale Irwin won with a seven-under 281.

Course

Muirfield Village was designed by Jack Nicklaus and Desmond Muirhead in 1974 and is known as Jack's Place. He has constantly tinkered with the venue to ensure it plays true to the original design in spite of changes in technology. Over the years he has added yardage, deepened bunkers, reshaped holes and narrowed the fairways to 26-28 yards.

Last year a combination of extremely high rough, rough raked bunkers and fast greens saw Muirfield rank as the fifth toughest course on PGA Tour. This year the rough and bunkers have been returned to PGA Tour standard and although the greens remain fast it will not play as difficult as last year.

There are 73 bunkers and water in play on 13 holes. In 1987 Muirfield hosted the Ryder Cup won by Europe 15-13.

Fairways

The fairways are wide and many of the tee shots favour a left to right ball flight. There are short par fours and reachable par fives which can reward the long drivers of the ball.

The rough is dense and consistent and cropped to three and half inches for the start of the tournament. Players should be able to advance the ball to the green but will have difficulty controlling the spin.

Greens

Muirfield is primarily a second shot golf course. The small contoured greens demand accurate iron play. Well placed bunkers and testing rough require the players to think their way round the course and constantly shape shots to the correct parts of the greens.

Rain earlier in the week which has made the greens more receptive but they will still be fast at 12.5 on the stimpmeter and will become firmer as the week goes on.

They said

"You know, everybody's going to hit the fairways. And it's just a matter of what they do with their approach shots. As long as they're smart with that. And you've just got to putt well. You've got to do everything" - Ben Curtis

"The rough wasn't as high as it was last year. So I think you'll see better scores this year. But the greens are still running, I would say. A very severe test. It's definitely a second shot golf course" - Kenny Perry

"My goal has always been to have the golf course fast. If we don't get much rain I think you're going to find a very fast and very demanding golf course. We prepare it as close as we can to what you think you would have a major championship on" - Jack Nicklaus

Horses for Courses

Kenny Perry will be making his 21st appearance at the Memorial tournament this week and has made his last 15 cuts in a row. His record includes three wins (1991, 2003 and 2008), six top 10 finishes and only three missed cuts.

Tiger Woods is the only other three time winner of the event (1999-2001) and he boasts six top five finishes in his last ten visits.

Key Holes

The 17th is a 478 yard par four and ranked as 31st most difficult hole on the PGA Tour last year averaging 4.359. There were 34 birdies and 206 pars but 127 bogeys and 23 or doubles or worse.

With the 444 yard par four 18th ranked as the most difficult hole in the tournament's history Muirfield has a tough finish.

Did you Know

The Memorial tournament has the longest active play off drought on the PGA Tour with the last play off in 1992 when David Edwards defeated Rick Fehr.

On this Day

On 3rd June 1984 Greg Norman won the Kemper Open for his first victory on the PGA Tour.

Weather

After some thunderstorms earlier in the week the forecast is for good weather with temperatures in the high 70's and little wind.

Conclusion

Conditions will not be as tough as 2008 and with recent rain taking some of the firmness out of the course scoring should be better but a solid all round game and very accurate iron play will be required to win.


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POULTER LAUDS STENSON
OPEN HEADING TO MUIRFIELD

CEVAER CASE OF DIZZINESS

New European Open champion Christian Cevaer lasted only 12 holes of the Wales Open at Celtic Manor on Thursday before quitting with dizziness.

The 39-year-old, who won last week despite suffering from irritable bowel syndrome, bogeyed five of his first six holes and after birdies at the next two ran up a double-bogey six at the 465-yard first - his ninth - to return to five over par.

Three holes later he shook hands with Spanish playing partners Miguel Angel Jimenez and Pablo Larrazabal and called it a day.

"My head was floaty out there," he said. "I've had very little sleep this week and the last few days have taken a terrible toll on me physically and mentally.

"I was worried I wouldn't be able to play at all after only two or three hours' sleep on Tuesday night, but I enjoyed the pro-am and then treated the other French players and their wives to dinner, as is our tradition after a win.

"I hoped I would be okay, but I had to get up early this morning and couldn't do anything out there.

"I'm going to take a well-deserved break now and then come back for the Open qualifying at Sunningdale on Monday."

Coincidentally, it was at roughly the same point last year that Jimenez withdrew with a knee injury four days after winning the BMW PGA title. He was eight over at the time.


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CEVAER WINS EUROPEAN OPEN

MANOR FROM HEAVEN FOR WELSH

Next year's Ryder Cup at Celtic Manor can have benefits reaching far beyond golf.

That was the message on Wednesday from Rhodri Morgan, First Minister for Wales, after a review of the plans for the first-ever match on Welsh soil in 16 months' time.

"What we are promoting is the idea that it's better to be out in the great Welsh outdoors instead of sitting in front of your television playing with PlayStation or a zapper or whatever," he said.

"You will no doubt have heard these dire warnings that 90% of the children of Britain or whole western world will be obese by the year 2050 because they will be spending 45 hours a week on their PlayStations.

"We have to promote enjoyment of the great Welsh outdoors by walking or golfing or football or cricket or whatever.

"Sport is a major way of combating this huge public health threat of obesity among young people, leading to an epidemic of diabetes Type 2 and heart disease and all of the other things that happen if you do become obese."

Morgan also spoke about using the Ryder Cup to "put Wales on the map", commenting: "Wales has a deficit in its profile compared to Scotland and Ireland and we didn't want to continue to be Europe's best-kept secret.

"When we say 'put it on the map', that means a lot of things. Business investment opportunities, trade opportunities and trade partnership funds for people thinking of studying in universities from UK and abroad.

"Film-makers thinking about making films or TV series in Wales as well as trying to encourage more golf tourism in Wales and non-golf tourists.

"We still believe it is going to achieve a once-in-a-generation transformation of Wales's profile abroad, especially in North America and Japan."

Although Morgan said it was "all systems go", there have been local rumours about the economic climate placing a question mark over Celtic Manor's staging of the event. But resort chairman Sir Terry Matthews has totally quashed them.

"I'm lucky enough to have been in business now for about 40 years and I typically don't believe the press sometimes and what they write," he stated.

"God knows who speculates about what. Doesn't have much effect on me. Frankly you could hit me with a nuke and it still would not have much effect.

"As far as I can tell this Ryder Cup will be the best ever. I'm confident, things are going well and I'm feeling good about it."

George O'Grady, executive director of the European Tour, added: "From the Ryder Cup Europe point of view, we feel more confident here than some of the other rumoured venues we might have been moving it to, so I think we are very solid here."


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STRICKER MAKES CLARK PAY

Steve Stricker triumphed at the second extra hole to win the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial after a three-way play-off.

The American came up with a birdie at the crucial moment to pip Steve Marino and Tim Clark, who led by two shots with five holes of his final round to play.

The South African had gone into the fourth round with a two-shot lead and looked set for his first PGA Tour victory. But, after bogeying the 14th, he then dropped a shot at the last for a level-par 70.

That put him level with Stricker and Marino, who both shot 68s, at 17 under.

Clark should still have won at the first extra hole but he missed a short putt and saw his luck take a turn for the worse at the second when his approach hit the flag and rolled away, and he missed his birdie chance to open the door for Stricker.

It is the seventh time Clark has finished as a runner-up on the PGA Tour, and the second time in as many years at the Texas tournament.

Australian Jason Day finished fourth after a final-round 69 while new world number three Paul Casey followed up his BMW PGA Championship triumph with fifth place.

The Englishman birdied his first three holes on the way to a four-under-par 66 - his third of the tournament - and a final score of 15 under.

Woody Austin and Vijay Singh tied for sixth a further shot back while England's Ian Poulter shot a 68 to finish on 12 under.

Another Englishman, Luke Donald, had to settle for a level-par 70 and a tie of 13th place on 10 under while Justin Rose and Brian Davis both finished on six under.

Collated final round scores & totals in the USPGA Tour Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial, Colonial CC, Fort Worth, Texas, United States of America

(USA unless stated, par 70):

263 Steve Stricker 63 63 69 68 (Steve Stricker won at second play-off hole), Steve Marino 66 67 62 68, Tim Clark (Rsa) 63 64 66 70

264 Jason Day (Aus) 65 65 65 69

265 Paul Casey (Eng) 66 67 66 66

266 Vijay Singh (Fij) 64 64 69 69, Woody Austin 63 68 67 68

268 Ian Poulter (Eng) 66 69 65 68

269 Kevin Na 66 68 66 69, Zach Johnson 69 67 64 69, Jim Furyk 68 69 67 65, Kevin Sutherland 66 67 68 68

270 Charlie Wi (Kor) 67 70 66 67, Justin Leonard 66 68 64 72, Jeff Overton 69 67 65 69, Luke Donald (Eng) 68 65 67 70, Tom Lehman 68 69 66 67

271 Sean O'Hair 65 64 70 72, John Senden (Aus) 68 67 67 69, Ted Purdy 69 65 66 71, Corey Pavin 71 69 66 65

272 J J Henry 71 68 67 66, Stewart Cink 71 66 68 67, Nick O'Hern (Aus) 69 69 66 68, Jason Bohn 69 65 68 70, Mark Wilson 67 71 66 68

273 Hunter Mahan 69 67 68 69, Brian Gay 68 71 70 64, David Toms 67 72 65 69, Harrison Frazar 67 69 66 71, Matt Kuchar 70 68 65 70, James Driscoll 69 64 70 70, Stephen Ames (Can) 68 68 67 70

274 Kenny Perry 64 72 68 70, Brian Davis (Eng) 69 68 70 67, Rory Sabbatini (Rsa) 71 69 69 65, Tim Herron 71 65 66 72, Justin Rose (Eng) 69 69 70 66, Ryan Palmer 69 63 70 72, Scott Verplank 70 68 68 68

275 Bob Estes 71 66 68 70, George McNeill 68 70 68 69, Lucas Glover 70 65 66 74, Brandt Jobe 71 69 66 69, Kevin Streelman 68 70 66 71

276 Michael Bradley 70 67 73 66, Charley Hoffman 73 67 65 71, Bart Bryant 70 68 67 71, Chris DiMarco 69 71 67 69, Matt Bettencourt 69 70 68 69, Danny Lee (Nzl) 69 67 71 69, Ben Crane 71 68 70 67, Fredrik Jacobson (Swe) 68 70 66 72

277 Dudley Hart 74 66 68 69, Anthony Kim 69 68 68 72, James Nitties (Aus) 67 68 70 72, Tom Pernice Jnr. 69 67 70 71, Heath Slocum 69 71 68 69

278 Jason Dufner 69 71 65 73, Bo Van Pelt 71 69 69 69, Geoff Ogilvy (Aus) 70 67 67 74, Rocco Mediate 67 70 69 72, Greg Owen (Eng) 68 69 69 72

279 Adam Scott (Aus) 68 71 69 71, Mike Weir (Can) 69 67 72 71, Carl Pettersson (Swe) 71 68 69 71, Tommy Armour III 67 72 68 72

280 Rodney Pampling (Aus) 73 66 67 74, Derek Fathauer 68 69 70 73, Richard S Johnson (Swe) 71 69 70 70

281 John Rollins 70 67 71 73, Ryuji Imada (Jpn) 69 68 73 71, Chez Reavie 72 68 70 71

285 John Merrick 71 68 71 75


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CEVAER WINS EUROPEAN OPEN

Christian Cevaer, 449th in the world and without a top-30 finish in his last 15 tournaments, overcame a star-studded field and one of the toughest holes in golf to be the shock winner of the European Open on Sunday.

After an amazing weekend which saw no fewer than 45 changes of the lead, the 39-year-old, whose only previous Tour victory was the 2004 Spanish Open, beat England's Steve Webster, Scot Gary Orr and Spaniard Alvaro Quiros by a shot.

His winning total of 281, seven under par, was 13 strokes more than Ross Fisher took on the same London Club course last year - and his 74 was the highest last round by a winner all season.

But while Webster and Quiros both became more victims of the 471-yard last when tied for the lead - both carved their drives into the crowd, with Quiros hitting spectators with his first and second shots - Cevaer kept his nerve.

During the week the par four played to an average of nearly 4.7, with 154 bogeys, 48 doubles and 26 sevens or worse, but Cevaer parred it the first two days, birdied it in the third round and finished with the par he needed.

"I'm not a long player, but I used my utility club and it worked out great," he said after being showered with champagne.

"I made a point that no matter what happened just enjoy my golf, enjoy my skills and hang in there."

He played the front nine in 39 and did not have a birdie until the long 15th, but the problems meant that it brought him back into a share of top spot.

And then three closing pars were good enough to give him the Ј300,000 first prize - easily the biggest of his 16-year professional career.

At 196th on the "Race to Dubai" money list entering the week he would have been delighted just to secure his card for next season, but now he has a five-year Tour exemption.

The victory will also lift Cevaer more than 300 places in the world. For a while it looked as if Welshman Stephen Dodd, ranked 241st, might come from eight behind to win - two days after driving home thinking he had missed the cut.

But after playing the first 16 holes in a brilliant six under Dodd bogeyed the last two and finished two behind in joint fifth with Chris Wood, the Bristol 21-year-old who as an amateur was fifth in The Open last year, and Cevaer's joint overnight leader Jeev Milkha Singh.

Wood led on his own after birdies at the first and sixth, but covered the last 12 holes in three over.

With playing partner Rory McIlroy, tied for third when he resumed, surprisingly falling back to 12th with a 75 Spaniard Jose Manuel Lara was the next with a chance of posting a challenging target.

But he bogeyed the 16th and double-bogeyed the short 17th before Webster could not salvage a closing par from the thick rough and Quiros could not get up and down from over the green.

Orr, playing with Webster, came home in a fine 34, but he needed one more birdie to tie and could not find it.

World number four Sergio Garcia climbed from 47th to 13th with a closing 68, but was never in the hunt after going in the water on the 18th in the second and third rounds.

Colin Montgomerie, meanwhile, found the lake for a closing triple bogey seven and with a 75 for five over finished only 55th.

The Scot, soon to be 46, has not had a top 10 finish since last July and stated: "I just wish my golf was better. I've got no confidence at all."

This week's Wales Open at Celtic Manor brings him together with Corey Pavin, his opposite number as captain at the Ryder Cup there next year, but Montgomerie said he had asked not to be paired with the American in the first two rounds.

Collated final round scores & totals in the European Tour The European Open London Golf Club, Ash, Kent, England

(Gbr & Irl unless stated, par 72):

281 Christian Cevaer (Fra) 67 70 70 74

282 Gary Orr 71 72 68 71, Steve Webster 69 72 70 71, Alvaro Quiros (Spa) 71 70 69 72

283 Jeev Milkha Singh (Ind) 67 69 71 76, Chris Wood 69 73 68 73, Stephen Dodd 75 70 70 68

284 Soren Hansen (Den) 69 75 67 73, Ben Curtis (USA) 68 73 75 68, Marcus Fraser (Aus) 69 70 72 73, Jose Manuel Lara (Spa) 70 68 74 72

285 Rory McIlroy 69 73 68 75

286 David Drysdale 72 71 72 71, Sergio Garcia (Spa) 69 75 74 68, Martin Kaymer (Ger) 71 72 72 71

287 Robert Karlsson (Swe) 68 74 75 70, Louis Oosthuizen (Rsa) 68 75 70 74

288 Carlos Del Moral (Spa) 70 75 71 72, Richie Ramsay 74 70 68 76, Michael Lorenzo-Vera (Fra) 67 69 77 75, Branden Grace (Rsa) 69 75 74 70, Johan Edfors (Swe) 71 74 71 72, Simon Khan 67 76 74 71, Anthony Wall 68 69 76 75, Shaun Micheel (USA) 71 71 74 72, Chapchai Nirat (Tha) 69 76 68 75

289 Roope Kakko (Fin) 69 76 72 72, Anders Hansen (Den) 65 73 78 73, Peter Lawrie 67 71 79 72, Bradley Dredge 72 69 76 72, Lee Westwood 70 75 74 70

290 Mikael Lundberg (Swe) 70 75 74 71, Jamie Donaldson 68 70 74 78, Markus Brier (Aut) 72 72 76 70, Klas Eriksson (Swe) 71 74 73 72, Gonzalo Fdez-Castano (Spa) 68 76 75 71, Christopher Doak 68 72 76 74, Oliver Fisher 71 71 75 73

291 Alessandro Tadini (Ita) 67 75 74 75, Graeme McDowell 70 73 74 74, Thomas Bjorn (Den) 70 74 76 71, David Horsey 68 75 73 75, Tano Goya (Arg) 69 72 75 75, Jean-Francois Lucquin (Fra) 67 77 73 74, Graeme Storm 68 76 72 75

292 Shiv Kapur (Ind) 67 74 75 76, Steven O'Hara 71 74 74 73, Niclas Fasth (Swe) 71 72 75 74, Paul Lawrie 73 71 73 75, Ignacio Garrido (Spa) 71 70 79 72, Gregory Bourdy (Fra) 71 70 72 79, Paul McGinley 70 75 74 73, Mark Foster 73 72 73 74, Jyoti Randhawa (Ind) 66 73 79 74

293 Daniel Vancsik (Arg) 69 71 76 77, Peter Hanson (Swe) 66 73 79 75, Brett Rumford (Aus) 75 70 74 74, Colin Montgomerie 70 74 74 75, Taco Remkes (Ned) 70 73 77 73

294 Ricardo Gonzalez (Arg) 69 73 73 79, Magnus A Carlsson (Swe) 71 74 68 81, Sam Little 66 75 76 77, Pablo Larrazabal (Spa) 70 74 79 71

295 Jean-Baptiste Gonnet (Fra) 71 73 75 76, Callum Macaulay 71 72 71 81, Paul Waring 70 75 72 78

298 Ross McGowan 70 71 78 79

299 Anton Haig (Rsa) 68 73 79 79, Marcel Siem (Ger) 67 76 78 78


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LOWRY MAKES BIG IMPRESSION

MICKELSON SET FOR US OPEN - REPORT

Phil Mickelson plans to return to PGA Tour action at the St Jude Classic, Golf World magazine reported on Monday.

The world number two suspended his season indefinitely in May after his wife Amy was diagnosed with breast cancer.

According to the report, she is scheduled to undergo surgery at the end of June, allowing Mickelson to play at St Jude from June 11-14 and the US Open at Bethpage the following week.

Should he line up for the second major of the season at the New York venue, Mickelson can expect an emotional welcome.

He received huge support from the galleries at the Long Island public course when the tournament was previously held there in 2002, finishing three strokes behind Tiger Woods, one of four occasions he has been runner-up at his home open.


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MICKELSON ERRORS OUT OF SYSTEM

PHIL HOPES WIFE'S CANCER CAUGHT EARLY

Phil Mickelson is optimistic his wife's breast cancer has been caught early by doctors.

Mickelson withdrew from the PGA Tour indefinitely last week to be be with his wife while she undergoes treatment.

Amy Mickelson underwent a number of tests in recent days and now she and her husband are waiting to hear the outcome.

"We have a wonderful team of doctors helping us, and it is believed that we caught this early," Mickelson wrote on his website.

"We are anxiously waiting for a number of test results that will help guide us in the best possible direction."

He added: "Amy is such a supportive and loving life partner.

"She has always put me and our family first. Now it's time for her and her health to come first as we face this challenge together."

The golfing community has been quick to show support to the couple, with the likes of John Daly and Rory Sabbatini donning pink clothing at recent events, while a number of players have worn pink ribbons.

A "Pink Out" is also planned for this Saturday at the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial, after the US PGA Tour Wives Association asked players and their wives to wear pink clothing to show support.

"It is hard to describe how much the outpouring of support has meant to us," Mickelson added.

"When we heard about the Tour Wives, PGA Tour and the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial organising the 'Pink Out', we both had tears rolling down our faces.

"This is such an incredibly thoughtful gesture, not only for Amy, but for the 200,000 women who are diagnosed with breast cancer each year."


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MICKELSON SET FOR US OPEN - REPORT

PRESIDENTS CUP ROLE FOR OBAMA

The US president will become the eighth world leader to have held the position when the event is played in October, following the likes of former Australian prime minister John Howard and former US presidents Bill Clinton and George W Bush.

The Presidents Cup is contested between two 12-player teams, with the United States facing a line-up pooled from the rest of the world apart from Europe.


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LOWRY TURNS PROFESSIONAL
FERRIE UNFAZED BY SLOW START

McGINLEY BACKS LOWRY TO BOUNCE BACK

Paul McGinley is predicting great things for Irish Open champion Shane Lowry despite the 22-year-old slumping to a 78 in his first professional round yesterday.

Two weeks ago Lowry changed his life by becoming only the third amateur to win a European Tour event - and the first ever to do it on his debut.

He resumed the European Open at the London Club in Kent this morning joint 147th of the 156 starters and needing a near-miracle just to survive the cut.

But playing partner McGinley, himself two under par overnight and five behind Dane Anders Hansen, has no worries about Lowry's future.

"He will have better days," said the Ryder Cup hero. "He is a class player - I don't see any weaknesses.

"He has propelled himself into a different stratosphere and it was always going to be difficult. He was nervous, but it would have been difficult for anybody and he battled well.

"He's a good kid, he's a powerful hitter, has a good short game and things will calm down now."

Lowry said that McGinley had even reminded him that at County Louth two weeks ago it was a second round 62 - the joint lowest round ever by an amateur on the European Tour - that catapulted him into the spotlight.

"Paul was great to play with and he said 'Another 62 tomorrow and you'll be okay!'

"I didn't feel myself to be honest. I felt a bit flat and I'm glad to have that first round over.

"It's the first of many hopefully and there will be good days and bad days. I'm not under pressure to make my card (his win earned him an exemption until the end of 2011), but I still have the pressure to try to do as well as I can.

"I'm not trying to make excuses, but before I practised on Tuesday I'd had 12 holes since the Irish Open."

Hansen, twice a winner of the Tour's flagship PGA Championship at Wentworth, led by one overnight from England's Sam Little, Indian Jyoti Randhawa, South African Thomas Aiken and Peter Hanson, the Swede who won a US Open place on Monday by holing-in-one at the second hole of a play-off in the European qualifying tournament at Walton Heath.

Rory McIlroy and Sergio Garcia opened with 69s - Garcia's after he started with a double bogey - Lee Westwood and Colin Montgomerie shot 70, John Daly a 71 and Masters champion Angel Cabrera a 72.


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LOWRY MAKES BIG IMPRESSION