Who's that with Damien McGrane?Damien McGrane believes Tiger Woods will be better than ever when he returns to the game.

The Meath man, 38, feels that he knows what makes Woods tick after playing the final 36 holes alongside golf’s fallen hero in the Dubai Desert Classic two years ago.

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Brett Rumford leads the Qatar MastersPeter Lawrie and Graeme McDowell took advantage of easier second round conditions to move within five strokes of leader Brett Rumford at the halfway stage of the Commercialbank Qatar Masters.

Rumford fired a best of the day 66 to move one stroke ahead of Welshman Bradley Dredge and two ahead of Lee Westwood and Oliver Wilson on nine under par.

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There are lies and damned statistics but the numbers produced by the European Tour boffins give Padraig Harrington the edge over Rory McIlroy this year.

Yes, McIlroy topped the stroke average and almost won the inaugural Race to Dubai while Harrington floundered in swing tinkering hell for half the season before exploding into life in August.

But if you add together their ranking in the nine Genworth Financial Statistics categories, Harrington finished an average of six places ahead of McIlroy.

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Ulster champion Barrie Trainor has been inspired by Irish Open hero Shane Lowry to sell shares in his golfing dream.

The 28-year old Warrenpoint talent wants to join Lowry on the European Tour after getting a glimpse of the promised land when playing alongside the Offaly star for the first two rounds of his historic 3 Irish Open win just seven months ago.

But he needs £25,000 (€27,500) to cover his expenses next season and hopes that 50 backers will invest £500 (€550) each to help keep his dream alive and allow him to play golf without worrying where next week's entry fee or boat fare is coming from.

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Edoardo Molinari is breathing down Pablo Martin's neck entering the final round of the South African Open Championships at Pearl Valley Golf Estates.

While Martin (72) leads by a shot on 11 under par in his bid for back to back European Tour wins just a month after nearly losing his European Tour card,  Molinari is seeking an amazing fifth victory in his last eight starts.

The 28 year old Italian posted a third round 69 and needs only a top nine finish to move into the world's top 50 for the first time.

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Gary Murphy birdied his last two holes to make the cut by a shot in the South African Open.

The Kilkenny man survived with a shot to spare as Spain's Pablo Martin took the halfway lead to remain on track for back to back European Tour wins.

Martin, the only player to win European Tour titles as an amateur and a professional, won the Alfred Dunhill Championship on Sunday.

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Damien McGrane eagled Leopard Creek's 18th hole for the second day in a row to move into the top 10 in the Alfred Dunhill Championship.

A closing three gave the Kells man a two under par 70 and left him just two shots behind second placed Edoardo Molinari and Ernie Els but still six adrift of a rejuvenated Pablo Martin on seven under par.

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Watch out for Shane Lowry on the European Tour this season.

The 22 year old from Offaly is just three shots off the lead after carding a five under par 67 in the opening round Alfred Dunhill Championship at Leopard Creek in South Africa - the first event of the 2010 campaign.

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There's nothing like a crisis to concentrate the mind but Gary Murphy has managed to avoid thinking about "the dark side" in the Madrid Masters and made a positive start.

Damien McGrane and Gary Murphy are tied for ninth in the Madrid MastersWith time running out in his bid to save his tour card, the Kilkenny man opened with a five under par 67 at the Centro Nacional de Golf by simply focussing on his game rather than the grim reality of his situation.

"I would be lying it I said I wasn't thinking about stuff off the course," Murphy confessed.

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David Higgins watched his Open dream blown away at Turnberry.

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Graeme McDowell came within a whisker of shooting the lights out in the Open - then vowed not to shave until he wins.

After firing a two under par 68 to keep the leaders in his sights, he’s got no plans to trim the five o’clock shadow he sported at Turnberry yesterday.

Determined to defy his mother Marian, who hates his bearded look, he said: “I’m not a big fan of shaving, just working on something new. I might not shave it until I win again, although my mother will be begging me to shave it off tonight, I know she will.”

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Ireland will have a magnificent seven teeing it up at Turnberry - the same number as Carnoustie in 2007.

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