Golf Archive

Peter Dawson, the chief executive of the Royal & Ancient, last night denied that golf had become complacent on the issue of drug taking.

It may not have been on a par with Tiger Woods' US Open win of 2008, which was eked out despite severe cruciate ligament damage in his knee and two stress fractures of his left tibia, but Stephen Gallacher's Dubai Desert Classic victory at the weekend gave further weight to the old phrase "beware the injured golfer".

After a week of magic moments, Scotland's Stephen Gallacher still found time for another in Dubai today as he claimed only his second European Tour title in 20 years of trying.

A six-shot swing at the top of the leaderboard left Andrew McArthur four shots behind home player Shiv Kapur going into the final day of the Gujarat Kensville Challenge in India, but the Glaswegian retains hope of a second European Challenge Tour title.

CHRIS DOAK kept up his challenge for a maiden European Tour win at the Omega Dubai Desert Classic yesterday, while his fellow Scot Stephen Gallacher, seeking to end a nine-year drought, also remained right in contention.

Stephen Gallacher shot a career-equalling best round of a nine-under-par 63 on the opening day of the Omega Dubai Desert Classic – a tournament in which he last year finished as runner-up.

'It is 35 degrees and there's a wind of about three miles per hour," Michael Stewart reports from a sun-soaked driving range in Johannesburg.

Charlie Green, one of Scotland's most decorated amateur golfers, has died at the age of 80 following a battle with cancer.

Peter Hanson, the two-time Ryder Cup winner, believes that Europe will be even stronger under Paul McGinley than they were when Colin Montgomerie and Jose Maria Olazabal led them to victory.

Paul Lawrie may well stand a good chance of playing for Europe against America at Gleneagles next year, but he is also aiming to follow Paul McGinley's path to Ryder Cup captaincy by returning to the Seve Trophy later this year, perhaps as a playing captain for Great Britain & Ireland.

Having left his new sponsor Nike and the banking giant HSBC as crimson-faced as his new driver, Rory McIlroy needs more competition and not a planned four week break, according to Padraig Harrington.

Jamie Donaldson, who ribbed Robert Rock by sending him a picture of his US Masters invitation, has now succeeded him as winner of the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship.

Justin Rose emerged from the shadows of Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy again during the opening round of the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship to underline what a force he too is now on the global golf stage.

When Paul McGinley bounded triumphantly on to the stage, having been unveiled as Europe's new Ryder Cup captain on Tuesday night, you half expected to hear a thud and then see the backdrop of the platform tremble like a wonky set in Crossroads as the spurned Colin Montgomerie unleashed a brassed-off boot into the set.