Rory McIlroy birdied seven of his last 10 holes to open with a 66 in Dubai. Photo Eoin Clarke/www.golffile.ieRory McIlroy missed a golden opportunity to earn some brownie points with his other half when he gave his caddie the credit for helping him birdie seven of the last 10 holes and open with a six under 66 in the Dubai Desert Classic.

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Shane Lowry is the new touring professional for Carton House in County Kildare. The Clara man now lives on the estate.Shane Lowry believes he can become a European Tour heavy hitter without joining the pumping iron brigade.

The 16-stone sweet swinger from Offaly has piled up €1.7m in tour earnings since he memorably captured the Irish Open as an amateur just over two and a half years ago.

But as he prepares to start his season in Abu Dhabi next week as the new touring professional for Carton House, the 24-year old from Clara insists he doesn’t need to become a gym rat to secure that elusive second win and a place in the world’s elite.

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Shane Lowry could be a dark horse for a Ryder Cup debut this year.

But while the Offaly ace refuses to think about making Jose Maria Olazabal’s team, he reckons he’d die for Paul McGinley if the Dubliner got the captaincy at Gleneagles in 2014.

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US Open champion Rory McIlroy tweets a picture of his first major trophy before his press conference at Congressional Country Club on June 19. Picture Fran Caffrey/www.golffile.ieContinuing our review of Ireland’s great golfing year (Part I), it is worth remembering that while the game lost a great genius in Seve Ballesteros in May, it was celebrating the elevation of another rare talent to superstar status just a few weeks later.

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World No 3 Rory McIlroy is hotly fancied to become world No 1 next year. Picture Eoin Clarke/www.golffile.ieNow that Rory McIlroy has a major title on his mantelpiece, the bookies expect him to continue to rack up the wins and take over as world No 1. Of course, they haven’t forgotten about Tiger Woods.

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Michael Hoey. Picture Fran Caffrey www.golffile.ieRory McIlroy might have reached world No 2, won the US Open and finished the season as the world No 3 but if the world rankings are a barometer of golfing merit then Michael Hoey can argue that he was the most improved Irish player this year.

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Updated on Sunday, December 11, 2011 at 18:17 by Brian Keogh

Rory McIlroy in action in Dubai this week. Picture Denise Cleary www.golffile.ieRory McIlroy’s race is run for 2011 but what now for the world No 2 and his manager Conor Ridge.

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Rory McIlroy takes a drop on the 18th during the second round of the Dubai World ChampionshipRoll up, roll up as the amazing Rory McIlroy attempts his most difficult feat yet - winning the Dubai World Championship with a suspected case of dengue fever while coming from five strokes behind the longest hitter in the world.

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No champagne but Toshinori Muto didn’t care after winning the Dunlop Phoenix Tournament by four shots with a closing 63.Shane Lowry finished tied for third but Graeme McDowell ended up a disappointing 38th as Japan’s Toshinori Muto won the 54-hole Dunlop Phoenix Tournament in Japan.

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Updated on Saturday, November 19, 2011 at 1:42 by Brian Keogh

Graeme McDowell suffered in the showers as he signed for a soggy 71. Shane Lowry might be just four shots off the lead but Graeme McDowell still believes he can mount a weekend charge and come from eight back in the Dunlop Phoenix Tournament in Japan.

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Graeme McDowell in action in Japan on Thursday. In 2013, he could be playing the Irish Open in his home town of Portrush.Irish professional golfers were in action in at least four countries on three continents yesterday from the Kruger National Park in South Africa and tropical Malaysia to the Land of the Rising Sun and the southern United States. Back home the government of Northern Ireland was promising to do all its power to make sure the world comes to Ireland - specifically to Portrush - for a major tournament in 2013.

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Updated on Monday, November 14, 2011 at 0:11 by Brian Keogh

Graeme McDowell shelters from the heat during the final round of the Barclays Singapore Open. Picture by Eoin Clarke/www.golffile.ieGraeme McDowell and Shane Lowry headed for Japan in positive mood after finishing tied 13th in the Barclays Singapore Open.

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Frustrating as it must be for Irish golf fans to watch Padraig Harrington head for his seventh missed cut of the season, Michael Hoey and Shane Lowry gave them plenty to cheer in the second round of the weather-delayed Barclays Singapore Open.

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Padraig Harrington shares a joke with his caddie as he warms up on the driving range in Singapore. Photo Eoin Clarke/www.golffile.ieThe road ahead keeps getting steeper for Padraig Harrington. Stagnant in the world rankings and under pressure just to qualify for the Dubai World Championship and next year’s Ryder Cup team, the genial Dubliner made life even harder for himself when he took 34 putts in an opening 69 in the Barclays Singapore Open.

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Sergio Garcia celebrates his win in the Andalucía Masters. Picture Denise Cleary www.golffile.ieTwelve months ago Graeme McDowell won the Andalucia Masters to break into the world’s top 10. Sergio Garcia was 68th and playing in just his second event following a 10-week break from the game that was interrupted only by his assistant’s role in the Ryder Cup at Celtic Manor, where reigning US Open champion McDowell was the hero of the hour.

Fast forward a year and Garcia is back with a bang - a winner for the second week on the bounce following a one-shot victory over Miguel Angel Jimenez in a event where Clara’s Shane Lowry emerged from a mini slump to equal his best performance of the season by finishing fourth.

If this was one of the greatest weekends of Garcia’s career, it was McDowell’s worst. Literally.

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