It was more like Valhalla than Valderrama as Scandinavian heroes Soren Kjeldsen and Robert Karlsson celebrated their moments of glory with sighs of relief rather than throaty roars.

While the diminutive Dane Kjeldsen avenged last season’s play-off defeat by clinching an impressive two-stroke victory in the weather-ravaged final edition of the Volvo Masters, Karlsson rounded off a season of incredible consistency when he became the first Swede to lift the coveted Harry Vardon Trophy.

Looking more like the hero in a John Ford western than one of Ireland’s up-and-coming golf stars, Royal Dublin’s Niall Kearney swaggered towards the stunning Lahinch sunset with a look of immense satisfaction on his young face.

They old golfing adage that a man who can putt is a match for anyone rang true once more in the McNamara sponsored South of Ireland Championship at weather-lashed Lahinch

Just over a week after falling into an emotional embrace with his former Walker Cup partner Padraig Harrington at a post-Open Championship welcome home party, Milltown’s Jody Fanagan could only look on and smile as Ireland’s up-and-coming champion Shane Lowry sent him packing in the fourth round of the McNamara sponsored South of Ireland Championship at rain-sodden Lahinch.

After kicking off his 40th consecutive appearance in the McNamara sponsored South of Ireland Championship with a 3 and 2 win, County Louth veteran Barry Reddan popped into Lahinch for a late peak at the scoreboard.

Padraig Harrington headed for Royal Birkdale feeling like a winner in more ways than one after he successfully retained the Labrokes.com Irish PGA title at The European Club.

Eight and a half months after his last win, the Hassan II Trophy in Morocco, the reigning Open champion finished four strokes clear of fellow Dubliner Philip Walton and declared himself satisfied with the state of his game ahead of his defence of the Claret Jug on Merseyside this week.

Eamonn Darcy compared him to a likely-looking thoroughbred pracing around the parade ring before a classic race.

But as Padraig Harrington left The European Club yesterday evening with a commanding six-stroke lead in the Ladbrokes.com sponsored Irish PGA Championship, he looked for all the world like a gleaming red Ferrari being pushed back into the pits for a final tune up before the big race.

 

Padraig Harrington will be the envy of every serious pretender to his Open Championship crown when he begins his defence of the €70,000 Ladbrokes.com Irish PGA Championship at The European Club today.

 

Des Smyth stood dripping in the scorer’s hut at stormed-lashed Ballyliffin with a wry smile on his face and a look of sadness in his blue eyes.