Apes Hill Barbados has named Killian Cullen its new Director of Golf, adding an accomplished golf professional with experience at prestigious clubs in Ireland and Canada to lead the golf operation at one of the Caribbean’s most acclaimed luxury resort and residential communities.

Originally from Ireland, Cullen joins Apes Hill from Point Grey Golf & Country Club in Vancouver, British Columbia, where he served as Senior Associate Golf Professional since 2022. Previously, he was Senior Assistant Professional at Portmarnock Golf Club in Dublin, one of the world’s most respected links venues.

Cullen brings a broad skill set encompassing golf operations, instruction and player development, member and guest relations, team leadership and tournament management. An accomplished player and instructor, he embraces technology-driven coaching while earning a reputation throughout his career for his organisation, work ethic and ability to build strong relationships with members, guests and colleagues.

Cullen said: “I am delighted to be taking up this role which presents the opportunity for growth, both personally and professionally, and the chance to contribute to the continued success of Apes Hill. I’ve been fortunate to learn at exceptional clubs throughout my career, and I’m tremendously excited about what is being built here and the opportunity to be part of it.”

Cullen assumes responsibility for a golf operation that has grown significantly in stature and scope. Its centrepiece is the Ron Kirby-designed 18-hole championship course, ranked among the Top 100 courses internationally, complemented by Little Apes, a nine-hole short course; the island-green 19th hole; and the Golf Performance Centre, where advanced technology supports instruction, practice and player development.

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

 He will also play an integral role in the annual Barbados Legends event hosted at Apes Hill by Ian Woosnam, the Masters champion, former world number one and Ryder Cup legend.

 Cullen arrives during a period of increasing international recognition for Apes Hill. GOLF Magazine recently included the property among its Top 100 Golf Resorts in the World, describing the honourees as elite destinations offering “singular experiences.” The publication also recognised Apes Hill for “Best Lodging” among the Top 100 resorts.

“Killian possesses the combination of golf expertise, leadership ability and genuine people skills we were seeking for this important position,” said Sunil Chatrani, Apes Hill Barbados, Executive Chairman. “He has worked and learned within exceptional golf environments, but what impressed us equally was his ambition, humility and desire to continue developing as a leader. He understands that a great golf operation is ultimately about people and experiences, and we believe he is an excellent fit for Apes Hill.”

Cullen’s responsibilities will extend beyond golf to include involvement with Apes Hill’s racquet sports, wellness and other lifestyle offerings, reflecting the resort’s evolution as a destination where golf anchors a much broader luxury experience.

Set across 475 acres in the elevated hills of St. James, Apes Hill combines championship golf with residences and villas, wellness, hiking, tennis and Padel, a beach club and a strong commitment to environmental stewardship. Its championship golf course is Audubon International certified for environmental and sustainability best practices.

For more information, visit www.apeshill.com

Rory McIlroy expressed surprise at Kevin Kisner's attack over his appearance at the DP World India Championship and defended his presence in New Delhi.

“I guess for the right price, we could all say that comment (about growing the game),” Kisner told the “Fore Play” podcast last week. “He doesn’t want to globally expand in India, he wants to get his $10 million bucks and go play in India.”

Kisner, a US vice-captain at last year’s Ryder Cup, described McIlroy’s pre-event assertion that he was keen to play a “global schedule” as “dogs**t” and branded the tournament a “money grab”.

McIlroy did not deny that he received a fee for simply appearing in the event in a week when he also signed a major sponsorship deal to become a DP World global ambassador.

“I don’t know why me being in India would make Kis need to comment on that,” McIlroy said. “Two things can be true at the same time.

Kisner: That is such a dog sh!t comment, but I guess for the right price, we could all say that comment. He doesn’t want to globally expand in India, he wants to get his $10 million bucks and go play in India. Rory: How would he know that? #RoryMcIlroy #KevinKisner #DPWIC https://t.co/xjOLUGCmq1

— Essentially Golf (@esg_2025) October 18, 2026

“People can get paid to come and play at a tournament, but at the same time, do it from a place of genuine interest of trying to bring the sport to another country, a developing country, a country where the middle class in India is larger than the whole population of the United States. It’s a huge market for golf.”

McIlroy admitted he was rusty in India, where he finished tied for 42nd behind Eugenio Chacarra and remains third in the Race to Dubai behind the Spaniard and American Patrick Reed.

“Yeah, great to be back in India,” he said. “I think we all got a tremendous welcome. It was a great week off the course and we did a lot of fun things.

“Wish I had played better on it, but I'll get to go home here for a couple of weeks and practice and sharpen up and get myself ready for the last couple of events.

“Overall, it's been a wonderful week. India is a really important market for golf going forward, and it's only going to keep growing.

“It's important that we come here, and I thought this week was another step in the right direction for golf in India and international golf as a whole.”

ENDS

McIlroy admits he has his work cut out to win a record-equalling eighth Race to Dubai after Spain’s Eugenio Chacarra cruised to his third win of the season in the DP World India Championship.

Leading by five strokes after completing a weather-delayed third round 63, the big Spaniard  (26) carded a disciplined, two-under 70 in New Delhi to win by two strokes on 21 under par from New Zealand’s Daniel Hillier.

McIlroy, who admitted he had hardly touched a club since the BMW PGA at Wentworth a month ago, tied for 23rd on four-under after a closing 74.

As a result, Chacarra leapfrogged Patrick Reed to top the Race to Dubai by 618 points from the American and 948 points from third-placed McIlroy heading to the Genesis Championship in Korea next week.

Neither Reed nor McIlroy are playing at Woo Jeong Hills Country Club, which means that Chacarra could build a considerable lead over his nearest rivals heading to the enhanced points play-offs — the Abu Dhabi Aldar Championship (1,500 pts for the winner) and the DP World Tour Championship (2,000 pts) — next month.

“Yeah, I'm excited to get home and do some practice,” McIlroy said after a week where he mixed two eagles and 14 birdies with 10 bogeys and two double bogeys.

“I didn't really touch a club after Wentworth until I turned up this week.

“Didn't feel I was at my sharpest, so looking forward to getting home and practising and feeling like I turn up at those last two events ready to play and ready to go.

"I know what I'm capable of, I was one of the best amateurs in the world and I wanted to be one of the best professional players in the world. I work really hard, I've got a great team surrounding me, they're always trying to make me better and I think we've been doing a great job. Great hard work and it's paying off and I'm really thankful for it." Hear from champion Eugenio Chacarra after his third win of the season moves him to the top of the Race to Dubai rankings 🏆 #DPWIC

— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) October 18, 2026

“Eugenio is playing well. Looks like he's going to overtake Patrick in the Race to Dubai. That makes my job a bit harder going into the last two events.”

Chacarra is also top of the European Ryder Cup rankings and he was greeted at the finish by captain Luke Donald after he followed his back-to-back triumphs in June at the KLM Open and the Italian Open with a fourth DP World Tour title.

“Congrats,” Donald said. “Another win, well done! Top of the list, keep doing it!"

The Madrid native has enjoyed a meteoric rise in the game after leaving LIV Golf after three years last year, and went on to claim his maiden DP World Tour win at the Hero Indian Open.

Back-to-back wins in the Netherlands and Italy in June underlined his talent, and after finishing third in the Open de France and joint second in the Open de España in his previous two starts, he’s a Ryder Cup rookie in waiting and one of the world’s top 50.

“I told Luke back in the day I want to be on that team, not just a pick. I want to be one of the six spots,” Chacarra said.

“So that's one of the goals we have on the team. I'm working really hard for it. We are still a year away, but I know what I'm capable of. I know I'm a good player. I’ve got a lot of charisma, and I just want to keep getting better and keep winning.”

He could also become just the third Spaniard after six-time Order of Merit winner Seve Ballesteros and 2019 champion Jon Rahm to win the Race to Dubai.

“Yeah, it would mean the world,” he said. “Those two guys are heroes for me as a Spanish golfer. Seve did everything for European and Spanish golf, and then Jon, he's a guy that I've been looking up to since he went to college and professional golf; what he has accomplished is amazing.

“Hopefully I can put my name on that trophy, too. That's one of the goals.

“I know it's not going to be easy. Rory in Dubai always plays good and I know it's going to be a big battle. Patrick, too.

“Two of the best players in the world are coming for me now, and I know they're not going to make it easy.”

Tom McKibbin, who joins Chacarra in Korea next week and appears likely to step away from LIV Golf, tied for ninth on 12-under after a 69 to move up to 83rd in the Race to Dubai and secure his card for 2027.

Shane Lowry remained at 16th in the standings after a 69 left him 15th on 10-under.

Liam Nolan is keen to join them on the DP World Tour, and while he missed the cut in the Hangzhou Open, he will head to the season-ending 45-man Grand Final in Mallorca, having remained in ninth place in the Rankings race for 15 cards.

Gary Hurley (72) was 60th in the standings after finishing 52nd in China, 16 strokes behind Denmark’s Hamish Brown, who shot a 71 to win by a shot over compatriot Kristian Hjort Bressum on 21-under.

Brown’s third HotelPlanner Tour win catapulted him to the top of the Road to Mallorca Rankings.

Meanwhile, China’s Ruoning Yin won her seventh LPGA title when she closed with a four-under 68 to win the Buick LPGA Shanghai by a shot from Korea’s Hye-Jin Choi on 11-under.

Leona Maguire shot 69 to tie for 22nd on two-over with Lauren Walsh joint 51st on 10-over after a 68.

Maguire is 49th in the rankings, and Walsh is 89th, with the top 60 qualifying for the season-ending CME Group Tour Championship.

Eugenio Chacarra is in pole position to claim his third win of the season and leave Patrick Reed and Rory McIlroy trailing in the Race to Dubai after a brilliant day-three performance in India.

The big Spaniard resumed his weather-delayed second round a shot off the lead at the DP World India Championship and walked off Delhi Golf Club two clear of the field with 25 holes to play.

He completed a second successive five-under 67 in the morning to lead by a shot from Scott Jamieson at halfway, then birdied four of his first seven holes in round three.

At 14-under par through 11 holes when play was suspended due to darkness, the Madrid native led by two shots over Joost Luiten and compatriot Angel Hidalgo.

Tom McKibbin was tied for seventh on 10-under through 14 holes of his third round. But while Shane Lowry followed a blistering morning 65 with a 69 to share 16th on seven-under, Rory McIlroy’s title hopes looked over.

The world number two, who is seeking a record-equalling eighth Race to Dubai crown, went into the third round just four strokes behind Chacarra after completing a bogey-free 68 in the morning,

But he ran out of steam on a marathon day in New Delhi, dropping four shots in his first 10 holes in round three before holing a bunker shot at the 14th for an eagle three.

At four-under par through 15 holes, he was tied for 40th on four-under, 10 strokes behind the impressive Chacarra, who is projected to leapfrog Patrick Reed and top the Race to Dubai with three events of his season remaining.

Lowry was happy with his day’s work, having played 30 holes in 10-under par.

He resumed his second round three shots outside the cut line with 12 holes remaining, then played them in seven-under to shoot 65.

He started round three with three birdies in his first four holes to move into contention. But after following a bogey at the fifth with a birdie at the sixth, he was disappointed to lose momentum with 12 pars to finish.

“I got off to a great start and got myself back in the tournament,” Lowry said. “Then I just went stale on the back nine. Played all right, but just couldn't convert any chances.

“Going out this morning, honestly, I was half packing my bags to go home. I had 12 holes left and thought I needed to shoot four-under in the 12 holes and shot seven (under), so yeah, pretty happy with my whole day's work.

“Had 30 holes and shot 10-under for 30 holes. Hopefully I can go out and shoot a low one tomorrow. I'm too far back, but hopefully I can.

“Disappointed not to pick up a few more birdies, but a low one tomorrow, something in the mid-60s, and it's a good week.”

As for his season, he said: “Yeah, it's nice. Been a tough year. Few near misses. I lost a bit of confidence from that.

“To get to Ireland and do what I did was amazing. I think no matter what happens tomorrow or the rest of the year, I'll sit down at Christmas and have the Irish Open trophy on the table and I'll be happy with what I have.”

At the Buick LPGA Shanghai, Korea’s Hye-Jin Choi leads by a shot over compatriot Amy Yang, nine-under heading into the final round at Sheshan Golf Club.

But it was a tough day for Leona Maguire, who shot 77 to slip from 10th to 31st on five-over, while Lauren Walsh was 69th on 14-over after a 78.

As for the HotelPlanner Tour’s Hangzhou Open, Gary Hurley needs a career-low round to make the top 45 in the standings to qualify for the season-ending Grand Final.

Ranked 61st in the Road to Mallorca standings, he shot a one-under 71, leaving him joint 49th at five-under in an event where he needs a strong top-10 finish to move into the top 45 and join ninth-ranked Liam Nolan in Mallorca.

Denmark’s Hamish Brown shot his second nine-under par 63 of the week to lead by two shots from compatriot Kristian Hjort Bressum on 20-under.

In Belgium, Portumna rookie Sam Murphy tied for sixth in the Hulencourt Alps Tour Grand Final, finishing 14th in the Order of Merit.

He closed with a level par 72 to finish six shots behind France’s Alexandre Vandermoten on six-under.

Hugh Foley was 24th on two-over after a 70, while Castle’s Robert Moran, 34th on five-over after a 73, finished eighth in the Order of Merit, less than €4,000 outside the top five who earned promotion to the HotelPlanner Tour.

Rory McIlroy opened his second round with a spectacular eagle three as he bid to reel in clubhouse leaders Angel Hidalgo, Joost Luiten and Adrian Meronk in the weather-delayed DP World India Championship.

The world number two, who wants to close that gap on Patrick Reed and Eugenio Chacarra in his quest for a record-equalling eighth Race to Dubai title, rifled a 282-yard approach to eight feet at Delhi Golf Club’s opening hole and brushed in the putt.

He added three pars before play was suspended due to darkness and shared 17th on four under, just four shots behind the pace setters as the field played catch up following Thursday’s storm delays.

Luiten played 34 holes in six under par to post a brace of 68s as Polish star Meronk shot 67 and 69 and the Spaniard a couple of 68s.

Belgian Thomas Detry birdied three of his first six holes in round two to sit alongside the leaders, a shot clear of English pair Todd Clements and Eddie Pepperell, while Chacarra was also at seven under through five holes.

Tom McKibbin played seven holes in level par to share 13th on five under, but Shane Lowry, who opened with a 75, was 98th on three over through six holes of round two.

McKibbin has yet to announce his intentions on LIV 2.0, but the fact that both he and Laurie Canter are playing in India with no LIV branding on their bags suggests they will join Jon Rahm, David Puig and Abraham Ancer in leaving the breakaway tour.

Sports Business Journal reported that Charles Howell III is poised to leave Bryson DeChambeau’s Crushers and join Sergio Garcia, Thomas Pieters and Meronk on the list of players heading for the exit.

As DeChambeau weighs up his decision, Howell III is reportedly hoping to compete on the DP World Tour in 2027.

With many LIV players now without DP World Tour status, the European circuit may invite high-profile LIV players in 2027, provided they do not sign up for LIV 2.0.

A spokesperson for the DP World Tour told Today’s Golfer: “Given the high volume of inbound interest and enquiries we have received in recent weeks, we are exploring the terms on which we are willing to accommodate players provided they are free from third-party contractual restrictions and are willing to abide by our membership regulations.

“Our Tournament Committee has approved the process we intend to follow and we expect further enquiries in the days ahead.”

At the Buick LPGA Shanghai, Leona Maguire overcame windy conditions at Sheshan Golf Club to move into the top 10 at halfway.

The Solheim Cup star carded a one-over-par 73 but still moved up nine spots to joint 10th place on level par on a day when just five players broke par,

She’s just six strokes behind Korea’s Hye-Jin Choi, who shot 74 to lead by two shots on six-under from Major champions Grace Kim and Amy Yang.

Lauren Walsh struggled to an 82 to lie 56th on 10-over in the no-cut event.

At the HotelPlanner Tour’s Hangzhou Open in China, Liam Nolan missed the cut, but Gary Hurley kept his hopes alive of qualifying for the season-ending Grand Final.

Nolan, who is ninth in the Road to Mallorca rankings and on course to win one of 15 DP World Tour cards, shot a two-under 70 but missed the weekend by three strokes on level par.

He was projected to remain ninth in the standings but Hurley, who shot a second successive 70 to share 42nd on four-under, was forecast to fall one spot to 61st in the rankings race to make the top 45 who contest the Grand Final in Mallorca in two weeks.

At the top of the leaderboard, the Netherlands’ Lars van der Vight is on course for back-to-back wins after firing a course-record 10-under 62 to take a one-stroke lead into the weekend.

At the Hulencourt Alps Tour Grand Final in Belgium, Robert Moran’s hopes of winning one of five HotelPlanner Tour cards via the Order of Merit suffered a massive blow.

Ranked sixth in the standings heading into the final event, he shot a one-over 73 to share 41st in the 48-man field with Hugh Foley, who shot 75.

Portumna’s Sam Murphy lies 16th in the season-long race, but while he cannot win promotion, even with a win, he goes into the final round just four shots behind leader Archie Smith

A 71 left Murphy, who won the first event of the campaign, tied for fourth place on six-under.

Rory McIlroy has won his personal war with LIV Golf and turned his attention to winning a record-equalling eighth Race to Dubai.

The Masters champion and world number two was never a fan of the breakaway tour, and he did not hold back on his arrival at the DP World India Championship in expressing his views on LIV’s battle to relaunch.

With Jon Rahm and Sergio Garcia abandoning what looks like a sinking ship, and the DP World Tour forcing players to choose between DP World Tour membership and signing up for LIV 2.0, the future looks bleak for LIV.

McIlroy described LIV as “half of a good idea that was executed pretty poorly”, but he’s in favour of welcoming back former LIV players to the traditional tours.

“A rising tide lifts all boats and I think having some of these players back is beneficial for the business of the tours,” he said this week

The PGA Tour has invoked a one-year suspension, denying LIV players access until August next year.

But that’s proved a boon for European fields and no impediment to Patrick Reed, who is set to win one of 10 PGA Tour cards as he leads the Race to Dubai from Spain’s Eugenio Chacarra and McIlroy with just two events remaining before the Play-Offs in Abu Dhabi and Dubai.

McIlroy’s keen to see his home tour flourish in the PGA Tour off-season and has no problem with the DP World Tour’s ultimatum to LIV players.

“I think the DP World Tour have been more than accommodating to LIV players,” McIlroy said of a circuit he described as being in “a state of flux”.

“It's now got to the point where guys are going to have to make a decision and what's important to them and what they really want to do.

“As I said, the DP World Tour are well within their rights to change the rules and regulations. This is the way to protect their business and to make the tour as strong as possible.

“I've been banging on this drum a little bit over the past few years. The DP World Tour has a wonderful opportunity now from September through to January where they can showcase the best of international golf. This week is a prime example.”

The tour has assembled a stellar field at Delhi Golf Club, where Shane Lowry is looking to improve on his joint third-place finish behind Tommy Fleetwood last year.

The course is a great fit for the Offaly man as it’s so tight and the rough so punishing that big hitters like McIlroy and Open champion Ryan Fox will be leaving the driver in their lockers and relying on their iron play and short games.

“I’m here to win the tournament,” McIlroy. said. “I'm not here to hit drivers. I think the best chance will be by keeping the driver in the bag or in the hotel room so I'm not even attempting to hit it.”

It’s all about the Race to Dubai for the Holywood star, who plans to play a more global schedule from now on and loves that challenge he faces this week.

“It really reminds me of the courses I grew up playing, tight, tree-lined; hit a ball offline and it's lost,” he said.

“So I love these golf courses like here. They're probably not the best for my style of game, but I still enjoy playing them because I feel like they're a challenge for me.

“And then at this stage of my career, it's always nice to get to this part of the season and have a chance to win the Race to Dubai.

“Eugenio jumped me last week in Spain. Patrick isn't playing so well. So I think this is really a good opportunity this week to cut into that lead and head to the Middle East in a really good spot to try to win my eighth Race to Dubai.”

As the LET takes a week off, Leona Maguire and Lauren Walsh will look to climb the Race to CME Globe standings at the Buick LPGA Shanghai.

It’s also a big week for Liam Nolan and Gary Hurley at the HotelPlanner Tour’s Hangzhou Open in China, and for Robert Moran, Sam Murphy and Hugh Foley at the Hulencourt Alps Tour Grand Final in Belgium.

Only the top 45 after this week’s event in China qualify for the season-ending Grand Final, which will decide the top 15 in the final Road to Mallorca Rankings who will be awarded DP World Tour cards.

Ninth-ranked Nolan is closing in on promotion following his win in Abu Dhabi and last week’s fifth-place finish at the Hainan Open.

But 61st-ranked Hurley likely needs at least a top-10 finish to make the top 45 who contest the Grand Final in two weeks.

On the Alps Tour, the top five in the rankings after t 54-hole Grand Final will earn promotion to the HotelPlanner Tour, making it a crucial week for sixth-ranked Robert Moran, Sam Murphy (15th) and Hugh Foley (33rd).

Paul McGinley led tributes last night to the late former Irish international Paraic O'Rourke.

Born in Naas in 1949, he won the South of Ireland Amateur Open Championship in 1979, 1981 and 1985 and played 30 matches for Ireland at Senior International level.

He made his Home Internationals debut at Royal Dornoch in 1980 in a side featuring Ronan Rafferty and Philip Walton and remained unbeaten in 50 per cent of his appearances for Ireland between 1980 and 1985.

A member of Naas and Kilkenny golf clubs, he spearheaded the creation of Gowran Park, bringing in Jeff Howes to design the course.

"I played a lot with him and in a lot of ways, he was my hero because he was part of Dad's group," McGinley said of Paraic's lifelong friendship with the late Michael McGinley Snr, who was also a member of Naas.

"Turlough Boylan, Tony Pierce, Seamus Rohan and Paraic were always in the group with Dad when I was caddying for him at 13 or 14. 

"That's who our dinner dates would be with, and Paraic would always control the conversation because he was larger than life.

"I can honestly say—and I've been through the mill with professional golf as well as amateur—in terms of competitiveness, I would put him right up there as one of the greatest competitors that I've ever seen in golf, and that includes pros. 

"He was a wily competitor with not a huge amount of game compared to others, but just so wily and tough and cute.

"It was an incredible education for me at a young age to learn the art of competitiveness from listening to him at dinner, when they'd all replay the matches, whoever they would play, or what scores they had.

"Even as I turned pro, and over the last few years, it was always worth listening to his perspective on competitive situations.

"He had a great view and sense of competitive moments and instincts. Right up to the day he died, he was somebody I would always listen to and process what he had to say.

"As Bobby Jones used to say, there's golf, and there's tournament golf, and believe me, they're two very different things. And I think that's where Paraic was at too."

O'Rourke's habit of drawing the putter from the bag and flashing it at the opposition when he'd hit first and hit the green was a tactic McGinley never forgot, right through to his Ryder Cup career.

"I would always do that as a matter of instinct," he said. "The minute I hit it on the green with the honour, I would take out the putter and lean on it. 

"I aspired to be like him for two reasons: first, he wore the Leinster sweater with the harp, and then when he made the Irish team, you'd be wide-eyed looking across at him in his Irish jersey.

"He inspired a great sense of stirring ambition in me."

Laytown and Bettystown’s Declan Branigan, who was O’Rourke’s foursomes partner for Leinster for many years, described him as “the best foursomes partner you could have.”

“He was calm and he was consistent,” Branigan recalled. “He was the perfect partner.

“I can’t say exactly but I don’t recall us losing many matches for Leinster. I’d say we won 90pc of them.

“Paraic didn’t hit a lot of great shots but he hit very few bad or destructive shots. He was everything you could ask of a foursomes partner.”

Paraic O'Rourke passed away on October 12 and is survived by his wife Margaret and children Alan and Emma. 

Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam.

For much of the game’s history, golfers adapted their play to the limitations of their equipment. Over recent decades, breakthrough innovations have flipped that relationship, enabling players at every level to attempt new shots and reinterpret the challenge of classic courses.

As advances in engineering have transformed golf clubs, both the possibilities for performance and the expectations for precision have shifted across the sport.

From tradition to engineering: major milestones

Early golf was played with hickory-shafted clubs that were hand-forged and varied greatly from one example to the next. The introduction of steel shafts in the early 20th century increased both reliability and power. In the 1980s and 1990s, graphite shafts and perimeter-weighted irons enhanced accuracy and distance for more players. Oversized titanium drivers, first appearing around the turn of the millennium, provided a larger sweet spot and greater forgiveness on mishits.

Each decade since has brought incremental yet meaningful changes. Computer-aided design and robotic testing now enable manufacturers to carefully shape clubs, refine weight distribution, and adjust flex patterns. Customisation has largely replaced a one-size-fits-all approach, making equipment choice more significant to individual performance.

Modern materials and construction

Today’s drivers, fairway woods, and irons are made with materials that differ substantially from those used just a generation ago. Titanium, carbon fibre, and advanced composites help create clubheads that are lighter but stronger. Many clubs now feature multi-material construction, blending metals and polymers to control weight placement for optimised launch and forgiveness.

These advances have led to improved consistency and durability over time. Designers can also incorporate movable weights, slots, and face inserts to modify how the club interacts with the ball, allowing for targeted performance improvements to suit different types of golfers.

The role of forgiveness and playability

Club design has increasingly prioritised forgiveness. By raising the moment of inertia and positioning weight around the perimeter, modern clubs help keep errant shots on line, even when contact is less than perfect. This benefits both elite players and everyday golfers, providing greater performance even on inconsistent swings.

Greater emphasis on playability has also made the game more accessible for players with slower swing speeds or less time to practise. Game-improvement irons and hybrids are common in many bags at club level, reflecting how advances in club design support more consistent contact and enjoyable golf.

Distance, launch, and spin in the modern era

Modern shaping and weighting allow for fine control over ball flight. By adjusting loft, centre of gravity, and shaft properties, manufacturers are able to offer clubs that help achieve a variety of launch angles and spin rates. This can allow golfers to hit longer drives with reduced effort, while also improving the ability to manage trajectories and spin for approach shots.

However, these advantages are dependent on finding equipment that matches a player’s swing characteristics. A club optimised for one person’s need for distance may be less suitable for another who needs increased spin or higher launch to stop the ball on the green.

Custom fitting and personalisation

Modern club technology is distinguished by its adjustability. Many drivers and fairway woods feature movable weights or adjustable hosels, so you can tune loft, lie, or shot bias to best suit your swing. Professional fittings now help identify the most suitable combination of shaft flex, head design, and grip size, maximising the benefits of new technology without demanding a major change to technique.

Custom fitting is no longer reserved just for elite golfers. Fitters highlight performance gains for players of all abilities with a tailored setup. This individual approach can extend beyond clubs to supporting equipment choices, such as using appropriate golf shoes that contribute to both comfort and stability during each round, reinforcing the importance of suitable footwear alongside equipment advances.

Coaching, play style, and the boundaries of technology

The development of modern club technology has changed how teaching professionals address technique and practice. Players now regularly analyse launch data, refine shot shape, and factor equipment into their on-course strategy. The increased range and forgiveness offered by new clubs have also led some to question how best to balance innovation with the traditional skills of the game.

Governing bodies have responded by implementing regulations regarding aspects like groove geometry, clubface rebound, and driver head size, aiming to maintain a challenging course while allowing for technological advancement. The ongoing discussion about this balance continues as new equipment arrives on the market.

Practical tips for upgrading

If you are considering updating your equipment, base your choices on your own skill level, physical build, and typical shot tendencies. While new technology can offer performance improvements, a well-chosen club or accessory is more beneficial than simply following trends. Trying different options or consulting a fitter usually leads to better results than relying on broad claims alone.

The flow of innovation appears set to continue, but the essential foundations of grip, setup, and rhythm remain central to improvement for all golfers. While equipment can enhance what you bring to the game, it does not replace the value of sound fundamentals and regular practice.

Shane Lowry produced his best round of the week but still trails by eight shots in the Open de España in Madrid.

The Amgen Irish Open champion made an eagle and four birdies in a four-under 67 to head into the final round tied for 17th at five-under par.

He’s eight shots behind halfway leader Grant Forrest, who shot 67 and England’s Joe Dean, who bounced back from dropping three shots at the 16th and 17th by making a 32-footer for a birdie at the last hole for a 65.

“t gave a little bit of hope after those previous two holes, but nothing's guaranteed in this game,” said Dean, who was three clear of the field before he double-bogeyed the 16th and bogeyed the 17th,

“It only takes you a slight lapse of concentration or just a bad shot at a bad time and before you know it, you're chasing again.”

Dean and Forrest lead by a shot on 13-under from France’s Victor Perez (65), Denmark’s Jacob Skov Olesen (65) and Switzerland’s Joel Girrbach (67).

But as Eugenio Chacarra shot 70 to find himself five behind, fellow Spaniard Angel Ayora finished with two birdies to shoot 66 and lurk just three shots off the lead.

“I’ll just focus on my preparation, on my shots, and let the results come,” Ayora said. “But yeah, obviously the win is on my mind. It would be amazing to have the first win here in Spain.”

At the PGA Tour’s Baycurrent Classic, Michael Brennan carded a six-under 65 to share the 54-hole lead with Zach Bauchou (67) and Jacob Bridgeman (69) in Japan.

They lead by one stroke on 13-under from Adam Scott, Justin Thomas, Keith Mitchell, Germany’s Stephan Jaeger and England’s Jordan Smith at Yokohama Golf Club.

Scott, who is seeking his first PGA Tour win in six year, shot 65.

“You got to be pleased with that and something like that tomorrow might be enough,” Scott said. “It’s not a bad spot to be a few back. Hopefully we’ll be in for a great day.”

At the HotelPlanner Tour’s Hainan Open, Galway’s Liam Nolan fired a seven-under-par 65 to go into the final round just five shots off the lead.

The Barna native (26) is bidding for back-to-back wins on Europe’s second-tier circuit as he closes in on promotion to the DP World Tour next season.

The top 15 in the final Road to Mallorca standings will earn tickets to the main tour and 12th Nolan has a chance on Sunday to move into the top-10 with just the Hangzou Open and the Grand Final remaining.

He made eight birdies at Sanya Luhuitou Golf Club to share fifth place on 14-under-par.

The Netherlands’ Lars Van der Vight, who is 22nd in the Rankings, will take a three-stroke lead into the final round after matching the week’s lowest round with a 10-under-par 62.

Halfway leader Joseba Torres of Spain and Finland’s Tapio Pulkkanen share second place on 16 under.

On the Ladies European Tour, Douglas’ Sara Byrne enjoyed another sensational ball-striking day at the Aramco Korea Championship at New Korea Country Club.

She missed just one green in regulation en route to a four-under 68, leaving her tied for 13th on seven-under.

Byrne lies 59th in the Order of Merit, and a second top-10 finish of the season would all but secure top-70 status and her card for 2027.

Former AIG Women’s Open champion Miyu Yamashita also shot 68 to lead by a shot from Chinese Taipei’s Yani Tseng, who shot 66, on 13-under.

Elm Park’s Anna Foster shot 72 to share 45th on two-under.

For golfers planning a late-season escape, the Carlton Hotel Dublin Airport has launched a stay designed around clubs, convenience and a stress-free start or finish to an Irish golf trip.

The new Golf Concierge Stay caters to travelling golfers coming into and out of Ireland, with specialist care and storage for clubs, bags and accessories so valuable kit is handled safely on arrival.

The hotel is just five minutes from Dublin Airport and within easy reach of North County Dublin’s links and championship courses: Portmarnock Golf Club and Jameson Golf Links (25 mins), Donabate, Corballis Links and The Island (20 mins), Royal Dublin (30 mins) and St Margaret’s (10 mins).

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

After a round, guests can enjoy a “19th hole” Irish whiskey tasting in the award-winning Runway 28 Restaurant and Bar, led by mixologist Higor Franjotti and finished with an Irish-mythology-inspired cocktail.

Priced at €599 per room, the package includes an overnight stay in a Rooftop Suite, full Irish breakfast, specialist golf club storage and care, a gift of Carlton Titleist Pro V1 balls and accessories, and the whiskey tasting.

The hotel’s guest relations team also shares transit tips: use dedicated early check-in for clubs where possible, protect clubs with a rod protector or broom handle, wrap clubheads, pack towels around shafts, secure loose items, consider a bag tracker, and label your golf bag.

With 24-hour airport transfers, secure parking and a newly refurbished gym, it’s a practical base for golfers who want the trip to start before the first tee. For bookings and details, visit Carlton Hotel Dublin Airport online or on Instagram or Facebook.

Eugenio Chacarra battled through to the pain barrier for the second day running to keep his victory hopes alive in the Open de España in Madrid.

The Spaniard can leapfrog Rory McIlroy and Patrick Reed to top the Race to Dubai if he claims his third win of the season despite battling a broken toe on his left foot at the Club de Campo.

The Madrid native (26) looks capable after he birdied three of his last five holes to shoot a two-under 69 and go into the weekend just two shots behind Scotland’s Grant Forrest, who shot 67 to lead by a stroke from compatriot Connor Syme and Switzerland’s Joel Girrbach on nine-under.

“Obviously having the crowd with me helps me go through it,”said Chacarra, who revealed that being unable to feel his toes due to the medication he’s taking was “a weird feeling.”

He added: “Today was way better than yesterday. I did a great job with my team last night. The medications are getting through. I played a little more pain-free.

“I think overall we had a good Friday and happy to have a chance for the weekend.”

Chacarra was playing alongside Shane Lowry and Race to Dubai leader Reed.

While the American missed the one-over-par cut by a shot, Lowry bogeyed the 18th to shoot a level par 71, leaving him eight shots off the pace in a tie for 34th on one-under.

The Offaly man turned in level par, but after back-to-back bogeys at the 10th and 11th left him just inside the cut mark, he brilliantly birdied the 13th, 14th and 15th to reach the fringes of contention, only to drop a shot after a poor tee shot at the 18th.

Tom McKibbin will turn his attention to next week’s DP World India Championship after he shot 73 to miss the weekend by two shots.

On the HotelPlanner Tour, Galway’s Liam Nolan shared 10th place at halfway in the Hainan Open at Sanya Luhuitou.

The Barna man (26) carded a two-under par 70 to get to seven-under when play was suspended due to darkness and trails leader Joseba Torres by eight strokes.

The Spaniard’s five-under 67 gave him a four-shot leadover Finland’s Tapio Pulkkanen on 15-under as he bids to break into the top 15 in the Road to Mallorca standings who will be awarded DP World Tour cards.

Nolan lies 12th in the card race and can move up further before next week’s Hangzhou Open, which will decide the top 45 who will contest the Grand Final in Mallorca.

Gary Hurley, 53rd in the rankings, now needs a strong performance at Hangzhou West Lake Golf Club next week to reach the season-ending finale at Club de Golf Alcanada from October 29 to November 1.

The West Waterford man (33) struggled to a second-round 81 to finish seven shots outside the projected cut mark on five-over.

On the Ladies European Tour, Sara Byrne is just six shots behind halfway leader Miyu Yamashita of Japan at the Aramco Korea Championship.

The Douglas golfer missed just one green in regulation but settled for a three-under 69 after taking 33 putts.

At three-under, she was tied for 22nd behind 2025 AIG Women’s Open winner Yamashita, whose 68 gave her a two-shot lead over Sweden’s Louise Rydqvist and Korea’s Sung Hyun Park.

Anna Foster shot 70 to share 31st on two-under, but Lauren Walsh bogeyed three of her last five holes to shoot 76 and miss the cut by a shot, while Aine Donegan’s 72 left her on eight-over.

Meanwhile, former Ryder Cup player Max Homa was just two shots behind leaders Keith Mitchell and Jacob Bridgeman as he seek his first win since 2023 in the PGA Tour’s Baycurrent Classic in Japan.

The former world number five shot a three-under 68 to share third with Zach Bauchou, Ben Kohles and Mac Meissner.

Mitchell carded a 65 and Bridgeman shot a 68 to lead on 11-under at Yokohama Country Club.

Spain’s Eugenio Chacarra battled a broken toe to fire a five-under 66 and share the lead in the Open de España in Madrid.

The former LIV star made two eagle threes and four birdies at the Club de Campo despite breaking the third toe on his left foot by stubbing in the dark last week.

It remains to be seen whether he can complete the tournament, but his opening round was good enough to share the lead with Scottish duo Connor Syme and Grant Forrest, one clear of Sergio Garcia, Angel Ayora, Kiwi Dan Hillier and Dane Jacob Skov Olesen

“It doesn't really hurt when I'm swinging, which is why I could make a score” said Chacarra, who lies third in the Race to Dubai as he closes in on a PGA Tour card and battles for a potential Ryder Cup debut next year.

“Yes, I made it today, but the pain I had in the last two holes walking is something that I don't know if it's worth it because I‘ve got a lot to play in the next couple of weeks.

“I’ll sit down with the team and see what we decide because it was tough. If it was another event, I wouldn’t be teeing it up this week.”

Chacarra was playing alongside Shane Lowry, whose one-under 70 left him tied for 21st.

A 72 left Tom McKibbin and Justin Rose joint 48th as defending champion Marco Penge struggled to a 73, leaving him alongside Race to Dubai leader Patrick Reed.

On the PGA Tour, Jacob Bridgeman opened with an eight-under 63 to take the lead in the Baycurrent Classic in Japan.

After rolling in the winning putt for the USA in the Presidents Cup, Bridgeman went bogey-free to lead by a shot from England’s Jordan Smith.

It was also a good day in Asia for Lauren Walsh in the Ladies European Tour’s Aramco Korea Championship.

The Castlewarden golfer fired a two-under 70 at New Korea Country Club to share 16th place. She was five shots behind Czechia’s Patricie Mackova, who shot a seven-under 65 to lead by two .

Douglas’ Sara Byrne and Elm Park’s Anna Foster were joint 41st after 72s, but Aine Donegan was second last in the 108-strong field after an 80.

On the HotelPlanner Tour, Liam Nolan kept his hopes of back-to-back wins alive when he opened with a five-under 67 in the Hainan Open in China

Last week’s winner in Abu Dhabi, the Barna man (26) made six birdies to share seventh place, five strokes behind Spain’s Joseba Torres, while West Waterford’s Gary Hurley was joint 28th after a 69.

Meanwhile, Killarney Golf & Fishing Club has begun a multi-year upgrade of Mahony’s Point.

All bunkers and teeing areas will be redesigned and rebuilt by architect Jeff Lynch of ReGolf and Atlantic Golf Construction.

Work on Phase One, which started this week, will be completed by April 2027. Phase Two will begin in October 2027, and all 18 holes will have been fully upgraded by April 2028.

Sergio Garcia wants to be European Ryder Cup captain on Spanish soil in 2031 and he’s already targeting a shock return to the PGA Tour he abandoned with such gusto in 2022.

LIV Golf’s bankruptcy has allowed the Spaniard to successfully apply to be freed from his contract, and Europe’s record points scorer is looking to his long-term future, which includes another playing appearance and the captaincy at Denis O’Brien’s Camiral resort near Girona.

“There are still things to do, and it’s not all wrapped up,” Garcia (47) told Ten-Golf.com of his LIV Golf situation.

As for the PGA Tour, he said: “I would like to return to the PGA Tour in the future, especially thinking about the Champions Tour. I am 47 years old, and I would like to play that circuit when I turn 50, especially the Champions Majors. It would be nice.”

The former Masters champion will have to serve a one-year suspension before returning to the PGA Tour, which he was eager to leave when LIV Golf emerged in 2022.

Indo Sport - Bits & Bobs | Joe returns | Ronaldo bigger than Jesus? | Ireland reflections

The Spaniard let slip that he was about to join the Saudi-funded circuit when he got into a rules dispute during the Wells Fargo Championship just a month before the inaugural event.

“I can’t wait to leave this tour. I can’t wait to get out of here, my friend,” Garcia told a rules official when informed he’d exceeded the three-minute limit to search for a lost ball. “A couple of more weeks and I won’t have to deal with you any more.”

His immediate goal is to make Luke Donald’s 2027 European team via DP World Tour events, or possibly join the backroom team.

“I have spoken with Luke and told him that I am going to do everything possible to be on the team in 2027, and if I don’t make it, I have made it clear to him that he can count on me to help the team in whatever way he sees fit,” Garcia said ahead of the Open de Espana, where Tom McKibbin and Shane Lowry return to action.

The big sticking point is that Garcia remains ineligible for the Ryder Cup captaincy or vice-captaincy, having given up DP World Tour membership when he joined LIV Golf.

However, it appears he is trying to negotiate a change in his situation with one eye on the 2031 captaincy.

He won the Spanish Open in 2002, but three-time champion Jon Rahm cannot chase his fourth title at Madrid’s Club de Campo as he and his wife await the arrival of their fourth child.

It was announced yesterday evening that Rahm has also extricated himself from his LIV Golf situation due to the “unacceptable” terms offered for the proposed relaunch of the breakaway series.

“Mr Rahm has independently reviewed the proposed terms of LIV 2.0…and has determined that those terms are unacceptable to him, and he will not be participating going forward in LIV 2.0,” attorney John Beck told a bankruptcy hearing.

It was reported Beck told the court that Rahm and LIV are working to finalise a separation agreement by October 15

His compatriot Eugenio Chacarra, who is drawn with Lowry and Race to Dubai leader Patrick Reed this week, is happy he left the breakaway circuit at the end of 2024.

“I saw what I saw and took the decision I did and, well, in the end it looks like I was the cleverest, no?” said Chacarra, who made $7.39m with LIV Golf but has since won three DP World Tour titles and earned virtual promotion to the PGA Tour.

The Oklahoma-based Spaniard was invited by Donald to last month’s post-Irish Open get-together in Adare Manor and is clearly a Ryder Cup rookie in waiting.

“I think that right now, the way I’m playing, I’m one of the best European players at the moment and I have to keep practising to continue being one of them so I can be at that Ryder Cup,” said Chacarra, who is third in the Race to Dubai but nursing a fractured toe after stubbing it in the dark last week. 

Lowry is also desperate to be in Adare, and he’s bracing himself for a Madrid birdie-fest as players chase a place in The Open and a Masters invitation.

The world No 39 has had two weeks off since he followed his 11-shot Amgen Irish Open win at Doonbeg with a tie for 21st at Wentworth.

He knows he’ll have to go low to win an event where the average winning score over the past six years is 19 under par.

“It’s very soft this year, softer than I remember,” said Lowry, who partners Reed and Chacarra. “But it’s in good shape, and we’re going to get a good week of weather. 

“So it could be a nice week, and the scoring’s going to be pretty low out here. So hopefully, I can get out there and get after it, and give it a good run.”

The PGA Tour is in Japan for the Baycurrent Classic, but 101st-ranked Séamus Power didn’t make the field as the race heats up to make the top 100 in the FedEx Cup standings who will enjoy full status next year.

Meanwhile, Anna Foster, Sara Byrne and Áine Donegan join Lauren Walsh at the LET’s Korea Championship.

Walsh is exempt, and 38th-ranked Foster looks certain to make the top 70 who keep their cards. But Byrne (59th) and Donegan (76th) have work to do.

Three events remain on the HotelPlanner Tour, and Abu Dhabi Challenge winner Liam Nolan (12th) is looking to consolidate his place in the top 15 who will be awarded DP World Tour cards at the end of the season when he tees it up in the Hainan Challenge.

Only the top 45 after next week’s Hangzhou Open qualify for the Grand Final, leaving 53rd-ranked Gary Hurley chasing at least one big week in China.

Jim Furyk and Luke Donald didn’t quite dance under the crystal chandeliers dotted around the sumptuous Adare Manor ballroom, but when the talking was done, the American captain came away with the precious underdog tag so coveted by European Ryder Cup captains.

The “Year to Go” celebrations are over in Co Limerick now and Furyk, who gets his second bite of the cherry as skipper following his 17½ to 10½ shellacking in Paris seven years ago, promised his team will come back better prepared than ever to correct the glaring weakness that has left the USA bereft of an away Ryder Cup win since 1993.

“It’s not an anomaly,” Furyk said when quizzed about the USA’s abysmal foursomes record in team matches, especially since 2023 — 3-13 against Europe in back-to-back Ryder Cup defeats and an 8-26 record if you include the last two Presidents Cups.

“There are some issues; we understand that. (It’s) not something I’m very happy with. I plan on making some changes.

“I would say, one, as captains, we need to do a better job, not only put the folks into good pairings in good positions, but I don't think we are preparing for those matches in a proper way.

“And I will promise you, we will be prepared. I'm going to ask this team to do more than any other United States team has in the past. We'll be prepared. We'll be ready to go in that format, and hopefully we can showcase our talent. We have too much depth to have that poor record in alternate-shot.”

Europe has relied on the underdog mentality to become a Ryder Cup force in recent decades, winning 11 and losing just four (away) matches since the last American triumph on European soil in 1993.

This time, it’s different.

“It’s us against the world at this point, or us against Europe,” Furyk insisted. “There's going to be 50,000 people making a lot of noise. The Ryder Cup is such a great atmosphere, such a great arena.

“But we know what we're up against. We also know that it's been 34 years since we won in Europe.

“Luke and Dodo [Molinari] have the opportunity to set the golf course up, trying to tip the scales to Europe. It's always been played as we come in that the Americans seem to be the favourites.

“This year, there's no chance that that could happen. We're the underdogs.”

Donald was a brilliant, winning captain in Rome and at Bethpage last year but while 2023 was all about redemption for that 10-point hammering at Whistling Straits and 2025 was about silencing the raucous New York crowd, Adare Manor will be a different challenge.

“This one, I think we’ve got to really avoid complacency,” Donald said. “Just because we've won the last two doesn't naturally give us the upper hand. So it's getting that message across to the players.

“I think the US going to be very prepared. They're very hungry to turn around what has been disappointing Ryder Cups for them.

“It's more about the messaging. I think the messaging just changes. You've got to try and find the right message, the right note to sort of get these guys fired up in the right way.”

Captain Brandt Snedeker said after last month’s win Presidents Cup win at Medinah that this American team is “going to be a problem” at Adare Manor.

“I kinda tend to agree,” Donald said. “Zero complacency about how strong the US are going to be. They always are; on paper they tend to be stronger than us through the world rankings.

“Obviously, we have a great record at home, but again, zero complacency.

“I've seen what Jim has been doing behind the scenes, changing the stats, changing the qualification system. He is very, very motivated to come here and put up a good fight.

“Certainly I'm just as motivated to sort of keep finding those edges for my team as well. But you know, I know that the US will be very strong.”

How Adare Manor will play remains to be seen, though Furyk suspects iron play and short game will be at a premium.

Just eight of his side made the reconnaissance trip to Paris eight years ago but next year he hopes to get 16 Americans to Adare after The Open next summer, not for an audition but for acclimatisation and a taste of what will be required.

Rory McIlroy will again be a leader for Europe and while Shane Lowry is not guaranteed his spot yet, Donald was thrilled to see him shake the proverbial “monkey” off his back with that 11-shot Amgen Irish Open win at Doonbeg.

“Yeah, he certainly had a few doubts,” Donald said of Lowry’s painful near misses earlier this year. “He knew he'd let some go, and probably held on to those a little bit too long, but this was important, obviously, to play well and just to gallop away from the field was so impressive.”

There was just one change in the lineup between Rome and New York but Donald is expecting change this time.

“I'd be a bit surprised if it was a very similar team,:” he said. “I think there'll be obviously a core group of players that I think will likely be there. But I expect some new rookies to try and make their mark.”

Getting them to gel is one thing, but playing the “green” card well will also be key in front of a mostly Irish crowd.

Donald spoke Italian at the Opening Ceremony in Rome, so what chance he dares with the “cúpla focal” on September 16 next year?

“It’d be rude not to embrace the culture a little bit, wouldn’t it?” Donald said with a grin. “But we’ll see. I haven’t made any firm decisions yet.”

Pádraig Harrington believes Seapoint Golf Links will be ready to bid for the Irish Open after he collaborates on a €7m redesign of the Co Louth venue.

The Dubliner will work with Giulia Ferroni of Leeds Golf Design and Roddy Carr to reimagine the Declan Branigan and Des Smyth-designed course, which opened in 1993.

"There's no doubt we're looking for the wow factor," Harrington said in a promotional video for the project, which will see the course close temporarily next year before reopening in 2028.

"They ain't making any more linksland. It's hard to come by, and you know Seapoint has some of the best. 

"Everybody remembers the last couple of holes in Seapoint. Spectacular holes — 16, 17, 18. 

"It's our job to make sure that they remember the other 15 as well. The idea here is that this golf course can host an Irish Open." 

Seapoint hosted the Irish Amateur Close 2014, the Irish PGA in 2010 and 2011, the Irish Men's Amateur Open in 2025 and 2026, and two editions of the Irish Legends event on the European senior tour.

"When I was approached about the redevelopment of Seapoint, it really was a no-brainer for me," Harrington added. "The excitement to be involved with a links golf course-they're just not making any more links land, at least links land that you can develop in Ireland. 

"Seapoint has hosted some of the biggest amateur events in Ireland and some pro events, the Legends Tour, the PGA Championships. 

"I would hope that we will continue on that path and even get bigger and better tournaments in the future. 

"The idea here is, and we're looking at this as we develop the golf course, that this golf course can host an Irish Open. 

"We want to make sure that the feasibility to get the crowds around is there, and that the difficulty in the golf course is there when needed.

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

"We don't want it to be there when it's not needed. So we want to be able to host an Irish Open. That would be the goal.

"There are four new holes, seven greens, quite a few bunkers being moved. We're going to go in quite a few waste areas to fill in the open spaces. 

"It's a big space, Seapoint. There's a lot of room out there, so we're going to try and fill in some of those open areas with waste areas, waste area bunkers, and natural marram grass and things like that. 

"We're going to take out some of the bunkers that don't necessarily come into play for the elite players. 

"There are a lot of bunkers, 20, 30 yards shorter greens that kind of come out, but we're going to leave anything that's difficult.

"We're going to start using the 10th as the first hole, so that you start on a links golf hole. So you're straight out into links golf. This is something you can only do retrospectively. 

"You know, it takes a serious bit of effort and an engineer to get you an 18-hole loop on a golf course. I've been working with Guilia, and she's listened to my ideas. She put me straight on a few of them, for sure, because she is an architect. 

"The engineering that goes into this is significant, and I need somebody to keep me on the straight and narrow. Let's say, probably need that in the golf game too. 

"She's doing a tremendous job of explaining what's possible and what's not possible, and actually making some of the impossible work.

"In some cases we will develop greens and tee boxes that sit up, so that when you're on them, you're looking out to the sea. There's going to be some holes that play with a view of the sea, playing out towards the sea. 

"We're expecting and certainly hopeful that the members will have a beautiful links golf course, one that they can be very proud of to look out on. 

"The vistas will be there. You know, everybody should be able to look out there and be very proud of what they see in front of them. 

"They'll be able to go out and enjoy it. But one of the biggest goals of this project is to improve the aesthetic feel of the golf course."

Marty Carr from Genesis Links Limited said: “This is a major investment in the long-term future of Seapoint and in the potential of an exceptional piece of linksland.

“Our ambition is to create a golf course that is more distinctive, more enjoyable and better equipped for the future, while building on the character and qualities that members value about Seapoint today.

“The scale of the investment reflects our confidence in Seapoint and in County Louth as one of Ireland’s outstanding golf destinations. We believe the finished course will be something our members, the local community and the wider region can be very proud of.”

Poland’s Adrian Meronk claimed a career lifeline with an emotional victory in the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship on the Old Course at St Andrews.

The 2022 Irish Open champion came from two strokes behind overnight leader Casey Jarvis, carding a four-under-par 68 to win by two strokes from the South African (72) and Denmark’s Niklas Norgaard (68) at 20-under par.

“It’s unreal, to be honest,” said Meronk, who began the week 141st in the Race to Dubai and desperate to secure full DP World Tour status after his LIV Golf contract ran out at the end of this season

“I never usually cry, but this one feels really special. It’s been quite a tough year for me, and to win here after 10 years as a pro, it’s a dream come true, and it’s unbelievable. I’m extremely happy and very relieved.”

Now 38th in the rankings and exempt for the next two years, the Pole (33) also claimed a cheque for €xxx,xxxx as well as the team title with singer Tom Chaplin.

While he bogeyed the 17th to see his lead cut to a single stroke, he was able to enjoy the walk over Swilcan Bridge after Jarvis also bogeyed the penultimate hole.

“It’s an amazing walk when you cross the bridge,” Meronk said. “I was actually thinking about Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus walking on the bridge, and I was kind of asking for that good momentum, good energy from them, and it was just a great feeling.”

As for what the win means for his career, he said: “The goal for the rest of the season was to try to get my status for next year, and that helps me a lot. 

“I’m super happy that I achieved that goal. But definitely, I will have to re-evaluate my goals for the rest of the season.” 

Pádraig Harrington, meanwhile, closed with a one-over-par 73 to finish tied for 35th on nine-under.

Great Britain and Ireland won the PGA Cup for the first time since 2017 after they completed a record breaking victory over the USA.

The score shows GB&I with a record haul of 16.5 points to 9.5 from the Americans. Captain David Scott had his side braced for an away fightback but it never materialized as the hosts saw the job through comfortably.

Toby Hunt's three foot par putt on the 15th to go 3UP with three to play clinched the crucial half point for the required 13.5 to end nine years of hurt and claim just an eighth PGA Cup in the contest’s history and second at the K Club.

"The putt I holed on 15 was a massive relief. It was a good up and down from the back edge. David told me that I had secured it so that made the drive down 16 a bit easier! It feels great after getting stuffed two years ago it's a great feeling to beat them in the same sort of fashion," said the Welshman.

"You try not to get ahead of yourself I had a look at the scoreboard on 15 and thought I had the chance to do something quite cool that not many golfers have the chance to do. In fairness to Brandon he hit a lot of good shots out there, just so relieved to get the win."

The icing on the cake came through Ben Amor, whose half point with Ryan Lenehan was enough to see GB&I reach the magic 16.5 and cap off a sensational week.

GB&I captain David Scott cut an emotional figure as the victory was confirmed and he was overcome with pride.

"I am absolutely amazed by the quality of the team I have had this week. The strength and depth even though on paper we weren't as strong the heart in the team is tremendous. I am delighted for them."

Scott took inspiration from the Great Britain and Ireland Walker Cup team who ended eleven years of hurt in Lahinch last month.

"Staying where your feet are is a great expression I got from Dean Robertson. Don't look behind or ahead, just stay where you are.

“We could have easily taken the eye off the ball. I gave them a challenge to win every singles match. If you focus purely on your own match then you should get the result.

“If there's apathy before you know it the Americans have you by the throat. I spoke to them last night, gave them a hard message.

“We saw it in Medinah, the Walker Cup you can't forecast anything you have to prepare yourself.

“It was about staying with the process, believing in yourself. We wanted ten points out there but so thrilled for all of these guys."

The standout player of the week was Scotland’s Graeme Robertson who rolled back the years to his Home Internationals days with five wins from five matches courtesy of a 3&1 triumph over Brian Bergstol.

"Happy with that, played for Scotland in the Home Internationals years ago and managed to get six out of six!" smiled Robertson. "It was in my head to get full points again, I knew I was playing well."

Zach Haynes drew first blood in the singles with an accomplished 2&1 victory over Ash Mansell but GB&I had no reason to worry as the formality of their win was sealed not long after.

Simon Thornton earned a half point before Robertson’s clean sweep before Jesse Droemer put another red point on the board but at that stage it was a case of who was going to get the half point needed for GB&I.

It came down to Hunt and Matt Ford. Both players needed halved holes on 15 and 16 respectively. It was Welshman Hunt who got the job done a few minutes earlier before he sealed a 3&2 win over Brandon Bingaman. Ford saw off Garrett Sapp 2&1.

Amazingly, GB&I finished the week unbeaten across the five sessions with Ben Kern and Tyler Collett tagging on wins towards the bottom of the draw.

Harry Casey, who had been too unwell to participate on Friday, clinched his first full point in the anchor match winning 4&3 over Austin Hurt to ensure all ten GB&I players contributed at least a point.

Amor then halved the 18th with Lenahan for the record breaking GB&I points haul, eclipsing the 16 they amassed in their last win in 2017.

Victory looks like a long shot, but Pádraig Harrington can still rack up his first top-10 finish in almost four years at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.

A four-under 68 on the Old Course at St Andrews left him 21st on 10-under, eight shots behind South Africa's Casey Jarvis, who shot a seven-under 65 at the Home of Golf.

The Dubliner (55) needs a sensational final round to become the oldest winner in DP World Tour history.

But he's still on course to record his first top-10 finish in a regular tour event since finishing fourth at the 2023 Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship.

"Yes, I'm super pleased," said Jarvis, who made an eagle and five birdies to lead by two strokes on 18-under-par from England's Matthew Jordan and Poland's Adrian Meronk.

"I just felt like I was in control of my game today. I was really solid tee-to-green, and luckily rolled in a couple of putts.

"I mean, obviously I know I'm going to be feeling pressure tomorrow. I have won twice this year. So I kind of know how to deal with it a little better. 

"I still know I'm going to feel first-tee nerves and pressure throughout the day. But I'm just going to try and manage it as much as I can."

Jordan shot a six-under 66 at Kingsbarns, where 2022 Irish Open champion Meronk carded a blistering 63 to join him in second place.

"I want to be in the last few groups, and I want to give myself a really good chance, certainly, on Sunday, and yeah, that's what I've done today," Jordan said. "So let's see what tomorrow brings."

LIV Golf star Meronk (33) is 141st in the Race to Dubai and on track to make the top 100 who keep their playing rights.

But he's still dreaming of winning at the Home of Golf and notching his fifth DP World Tour win.

"It would be super special," he said. "But we still have 18 holes to go."

Belgium's Thomas Detry sits alone in fourth, three shots off the lead, while Danes Jacob Skov Olesen (63 at Kingsbarns) and Niklas Norgaard (67 on the Old Course) are a shot further back in fifth.

Meanwhile, Great Britain and Ireland extended their PGA Cup advantage at The K Club and need just two points from Sunday's ten singles to win the Llandudno International Trophy for the first time since 2017.

Leading 6-2 after the first day at the South Course, captain David Scott's charges won three and halved another match in the morning foursomes before sharing the afternoon fourballs 2-2 to lead 11.5-4.5.

Liam Nolan produced a near-flawless final round performance to win his maiden professional title at the Abu Dhabi Challenge and put himself in position to earn his DP World Tour card.

The Galway man (26) took a slender two-shot lead into the final round at sun-scorched Al Ain Equestrian, Shooting & Golf Club.

But after racing to the turn in four-under 31 to extend his lead to five shots over Tapio Pulkkanen, he played the back nine in one-under, to shoot a five-under 65 and win by four strokes from the Finn on 21-under-par.

"Absolutely mental," a delighted Nolan said of his feelings after a win that catapults him from 43rd to 12th in the Road to Mallorca standings and puts him on course to win one of 15 DP World Tour promotions with three events remaining. 

"It never really feels like it's going to happen until it does. So I feel like I put myself in position enough. I feel like it was my time, and yeah, I'm absolutely chuffed."

Nolan refused to let his guard down, even after he followed a birdie at the fourth with three more in a row from the sixth.

"You have everything from what's the worst that can happen to what's the best that can happen running through your head," confessed the Bearna native, who won a career-best cheque for €49,790.

"A four-shot lead, while it might look good on the live scoring or whatever, to me it felt like it was nothing. It was like, all I have to do is lose the ball, and one of the lads has to hole out.

"So yeah, the mind was racing a bit, but I played really nice again today. Played a little bit more conservative in places where there were a few tough pins, but I'm just blabbering now at this stage. I'm just happy to get it done."

He was four clear with two holes to play and fist-pumped after making a key par-save at the 17th before going on to birdie the par-five 18th.

"I mean that gave me the four-shot cushion going down the last, and you know I felt like if I had missed that and only had a three-shot lead, there's still a bit to do left," he said. 

"But the four-shot was nice. When that went in, I felt like I could slightly relax. 

The par save let Nolan, his caddie, and close friend Sean Nohilly enjoy the walk down the last hole.

"We've been friends for 12 years now, playing golf together, so this is as cool as it's gotten for us so far.

"He has done every professional tournament with me, so this is as much his win as it is mine. It's our win. We see it as a 50-50 team.

"It's so special to have a friend out there that you know so well, so yeah. Massive thanks to him, and you know he deserves it every bit as much as I do."

The win guarantees Nolan a place in the season-ending 45-man Grand Final after the next two events in China, but at 12th in the rankings, he's inside the top 15 who will earn promotion to the DP World Tour.

"Sounds great. You can't have a chance to play on the DP next year if you're not in the Grand Final. So, yeah, I mean, I'm thinking more about the win right now than the rankings. I'm just really happy to win."

He had support on the course from his first cousin and his aunt, though his immediate family and his girlfriend were on holiday in Spain.

"I think there was a bit of a watch party going on, but yeah, they're thrilled," he said of his call to family. "Obviously, they see how much work I've put in and how much work Sean's put in. 

"So to see that pay off, because sometimes in this game it doesn't pay off. So to see it pay off is really special for all of us."

Nolan jets out now to China for the 70-man Hainan and Hangzhou Open, with Gary Hurley, who tied for 28th on seven under after a 69, to move up to 53rd in the rankings.

But Mark Power will turn his thoughts to the Q-School after he failed to break into the top 70 who earned spots in those enhanced money events.

A closing 70 left him 37th on five-under and still 73rd in the season-long standings.

On the PGA Tour, Séamus Power birdied two of his last three holes to shoot a five-under 66 and make the cut on the mark in the Bank of Utah Championship.

The West Waterford man looked set to cruise into the weekend when he opened with a birdie at the 10th and added four more in a row from the 12th at Black Desert Resort.

But bogeys at the 16th, 17th and second holes left him three shots outside the six-under cut mark before he rallied to make it on the mark.

After rolling in a 15-footer for birdie at the fourth, he got up and down from the fringe for another at the par-five 16th, then made a 12-footer at the par-five ninth to sneak inside the cut line before play was suspended.

Power is ranked 104th in the FedEx Cup Fall standings and battling to finish the year inside the top 100, who will have full cards next year.

At six-under, he's 11 strokes behind Austin Smotherman, who followed a 63 with a nine-under 62 to lead by one. Stroke from Kevin Roy on 17-under.

At the LPGA's LOTTE Championship in Hawaii, Stephanie Meadow was the only Irish player to make the cut.

She birdied the par-five 18th to card a one-under 71 to make it on the mark on three-under.

Lauren Walsh shot 69 but missed out by two shots on one-under alongside Leona Maguire, who shot 71.

Pádraig Harrington made a big move in the right direction as he bids to become the oldest winner in DP World Tour history at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.

The veteran (55) is bidding to win the title for the third time and overtake record holder Miguel Angel Jiménez.

And after firing seven birdies in a five-under 67 at Kingsbarns Golf Links, he’s just six shots behind leader Casey Jarvis heading to the Old Course.

South African Jarvis made his seventh birdie of the day at the 18th to shoot 67 at Kingsbarns and lead by a shot on 11-under par from compatriot MJ Daffue, Spain’s Rocco Repetto Taylor and England’s Matt Jordan.

“I made a few good birdies out there,” said Jarvis, who is chasing his third DP World Tour win this season. “It’s nice to have the Old Course for two rounds in a row now.

“You watch The Open growing up as a kid, and now to be in contention in a tournament like this, I'm just looking forward to it.”

Daffue shot 68 at St Andrews as Repetto Taylor, playing at Kingsbarns, fired an eight-under-par 64.

England’s Jordan came out on top at Carnoustie, following up a 69 on The Old Course with a seven-under 65.

The leading 60 professionals and ties will make the 54-hole cut, which leaves 37th-placed Harrington on track to play all four rounds.

Just the top-20 teams progress, however, and Harrington and his partner Kieran McManus are five shots outside the projected cut-on 12-under, nine shots behind leaders Daffue and Paul Harris and Daniel Hillier and partner Craig Heatley.

In the 32nd PGA Cup at The K Club’s South Course, Great Britain and Ireland swept the afternoon fourballs 4-0 to take a 6-2 lead into day two of their biennial clash with the USA.

The sides shared the foursomes session 2-2 before Co Down’s Simon Thornton, who lost 5&4 alongside Matt Ford in the morning, teamed up with England’s Ashley Mansell to beat Brian Bergstol and Brandon Bingaman by 2 holes in the top match.

Scotland’s Gavin Hay and Graeme Robertson (3&2), England’s Gareth Davies and James Freeman (5&4) and Welshman Toby Hunt and England’s Ben Amor (5&3) completed the fourball rout.

The teams will play four morning fourballs, followed by four afternoon foursomes on Saturday before facing off in ten singles matches on Sunday.

GB&I need 13.5 points to win the Llandudno International Trophy for the first time since 2017 and deny the USA its fourth successive victory.