The cat is well and truly out of the bag, the cool cat even. So much for Luke Donald cast in the role of the staid, quiet Englishman with all the humour of John Major during a sponsored silence. The dude, as the say over here, is a blast.

Five-time Open champion steadies British amateur's nerve with timely advice to keep things simple and also finds the time to sink a 15th hole-in-one of his illustrious career

Greg Norman and Sir Nick Faldo, first and second in the record-breaking 1993 Open at Sandwich, will not be involved in this year's championship at the Kent course.

Hundreds of mourners applauded as Seve Ballesteros's ashes were carried into his local church by his three children for the funeral service in honour of the five-times major winner yesterday.

Nick Faldo still believes in Rory McIlroy after watching every shot of a Masters nightmare that inevitably turned his own mind back 15 years.

No Australian has ever won the Masters. The names of the six runners-up are a painful reminder of 75 years of Aussie hurt among the Augusta pines. Please bow your heads and shed a tear for: Jim Ferrier (1950), Bruce Crampton (1972), Jack Newton (1980) and poor old Greg Norman (1986, '87 and '96).

There are many anniversaries to celebrate this year, not least the 15th since Sir Nick Faldo won his third Masters. That week will always be remembered for Greg Norman's capitulation.

Britain and Europe awake today atop of the golfing world for the first time in 16 years as Lee Westwood officially displaces Tiger Woods from the No 1 position he has held for 281 weeks.

Lee Westwood must wait three more weeks until he is confirmed as Britain's first world No 1 in 16 years. Yet if Martin Kaymer's incredible run of form continues then it could become one of the shortest reigns on record.

Colin Montgomerie has handed Lee Westwood what he calls "the honour" of leading off the home challenge for the Ryder Cup this morning and the Englishman will do so confident that the errors of two years ago have been fixed.

Sir Nick Faldo may be the much-maligned former Europe captain, but that has not stopped him from criticising the first moves of his successor. Colin Montgomerie, he says, has acted too rashly in telling his players the partnerships for Friday morning's opening fourballs.

According to reports last night, Darren Clarke is to be announced today as one of Colin Montgomerie's vice-captain's for the Europe team which contests the Ryder Cup at Celtic Manor in October.

Outsider manages to shoulder the burdens of history and expectation to stay in contention on a testing evening

Phil Mickelson says he expects to "be in contention" at St Andrews this week after finally getting the hang of links golf.