Shane Lowry is currently the top ranked professional golfer from the Republic of Ireland. Picture by Jenny Matthews/www.golffile.ieGolf is an all-Ireland sport but if distinctions are to be made between professionals from north and south of the border, Shane Lowry achieved a rare feat on Monday.

An Irishman hasn’t won the PGA Championship since Harry Bradshaw pipped Dai Rees at Llandudno in 1958. Could Darren Clarke be the man to put an end to the 54-year drought this year? Picture by Getty ImagesOn current form it looks like the impossible dream but Darren Clarke would dearly love to to celebrate the 20th anniversary of his first appearance in the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth with a victory. But can he end a 54-year Irish jinx in the PGA? The first and last Irishman to pull it off was Harry Bradshaw at Llandudno in 1958 when it was a closed championship.

American Mark Calcavecchia (©Getty Images)Des Smyth missed the cut but Mark Calcavecchia’s bid to become only the fourth player to claim an Open Championship-Senior Open double continued at Walton Heath where he shares the halfway lead with his compatriot Lee Rinker and Canadian Rod Spittle on seven under par.

Former Zimbabwe great Mark McNulty (76 for level par), Denis O’Sullivan (74 for three over) and Eamonn Darcy (72 for four over) were the only Irishmen to make the last two rounds with Smyth missing out by a shot after a 74 left him on five over.

Ryder Cup hero Eamonn Darcy hailed José María Olazábal as the perfect choice to skipper Europe in Chicago next year. But he immediately called on tour chiefs to hand Paul McGinley the Ryder Cup captaincy when the matches go to Scotland in 2014.

Padraig Harrington must stop swinging like a man possessed if he is to end his two-year victory drought.

Yesssss… Monday finishEamonn Darcy was laughing all the way to the bank as Europe regained the Ryder Cup. No, the Wicklow legend didn’t have a flutter on a European win but on the chances of a Monday finish.

At odds of 8-1 he couldn’t resist and when he finished counting his cash he had a cut at PGA Tour chief Tim Finchem over the late date that almost wrecked the Ryder Cup.

Eamonn Darcy and Des Smyth endured a tortuous day in the second round of the Senior Open at Sunningdale.

Smyth had surprised himself by shooting 66 in the first round but he could only manage a four over 74 on Friday that left him on level par, 11 strokes behind record-setting leader Fred Funk. But Darcy missed the cut despite a sensational start to his second round.

Padraig Harrington is turning down a potential €630,000 pay day to battle for just €5,000 in next week's Ladbrokes.com Irish PGA. Tee times

But he won't have to fight off a challenge from veteran Des Smyth, 56, who's pulled out of the event at The European Club with a rib injury.

Des Smyth is injuredOrdered to rest for three weeks by his physio, six-time winner Smyth said: "I've had a problem with the cartilage in the rib cage for the past six or eight weeks and I've been playing on painkillers.

"I was really looking forward to playing The European Club for the first time but this is the first chance I have had to take a rest after a long run of events.

Des Smyth suffered a nightmare finish to see his chances of winning the Irish Seniors Open blown away in the wind at Ballybunion.

Eamonn Darcy has decided to get tough as he bids to end his winless streak in this week’s €350,000 Irish Seniors Open at Ballybunion.

Shock Irish Open winner Shane Lowry has the heart and the talent to avoid the same rookie nightmare as English star Justin Rose.

Former Ryder Cup players Eamonn Darcy and Des Smyth will hope to follow the example of Shane Lowry and provide a popular home winner when the pair tee up in the Irish Seniors Open in association with Fálite Ireland and AIB Bank from June 5-7.

Mark James defeated former Ryder Cup teammate Eamonn Darcy in a play-off to win the Son Gual Mallorca Senior Open and clinch his second European Senior Tour victory after a thrilling final day in Palma.