Updated on Saturday, January 14, 2012 at 9:44 by Brian Keogh

Peter Lawrie has decided to try the belly putter for a trial period. Pictured during Friday’s second round at Royal Johannesburg by Carl Fourie/www.golffile.iePeter Lawrie has joined the belly putter brigade in his first event of the season.

The Dubliner promised to make radical changes to his putting after a disapointing performance on the greens last term. And he was true to his word on his arrival in South Africa where he opened with rounds of 72 and 68 to share 56th place with the likes of Masters champion Charl Schwartzel in the weather-delayed Joburg Open.

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A determined looking Damien McGrane during the opening round of the Joburg Open at Royal Johannesburg and Kensington Golf Club. Photo by Luke Walker/www.golffile.ieNot even a bogey at the last could wipe the smile off Damien McGrane’s face as he fired an eight under 63 to grab a share of the clubhouse lead in the weather-delayed Joburg Open.

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Damien McGrane in action in Singapore last season. Photo Eoin Clarke/www.golffile.ieSimon Thornton celebrated his return to the European Tour with an opening four-under par 69 in the Africa Open but Damien McGrane’s poor 2011 form followed him into the New Year and a one-over 74 at East London Golf Club leaves him in danger of missing the cut.

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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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Blue for a boy. Simon Thornton en route to his seven under 64 and a European Tour return. Picture © Phil Inglis. Simon Thornton dedicated his magnificent seven under par round of 64 to his new-born son after the Irishman sealed his card for The 2012 European Tour International Schedule with the best round of the crucial final day at the Apulia San Domenico Grand Final, the European Tour’s Neil Ahern and Paul Symes report.

The Newcastle player began the day right on the brink of missing out on a ticket to the elite Tour in European golf after a level par third round of 71, and the pressure was well and truly on to secure any sort of card for The European Tour.

But his star show on the final day, which gave him a tied sixth finish five shots behind winner Andrea Pavan on twelve under, meant he finsihed 12th in the final rankings, securing a category for next season on the top tier as one of the Challenge Tour’s Top-20.

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Simon Thornton endured a torrid third day in the Challenge Tour Grand Final. Picture ©Phil InglisOn a rollercoaster day of contrasting emotions, Simon Thornton, father to a new baby boy the previous night, overcame illness and battled to a solid 71 on the third day of the Apulia San Domenico Grand Final to keep his hopes of a European Tour card for 2012 on track, writes the European Tour’s Neil Ahern.

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Simon Thornton shot a one-under 70 to slipped back to tied 23rd at the halfway stage of the Challenge Tour’s Apulia San Domenico Grand Final at San Domenico Golf in Pugia, near Brindisi, Italy. Picture ©Phil Inglis.Simon Thornton failed to make headway in the second round of the Apulia San Domenico Grand Final but his hopes of gaining a European Tour card for 2012 were still well and truly alive after a one under par 70 left him tied for 23rd, the European Tour reports:

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Simon Thornton opened with a four under 67 in the Challenge Tour Grand Final in Italy. Picture ©Phil InglisExpectant dad Simon Thornton is bang on course to win back his European card after a four under par 67 left him just a shot off the lead in the Challenge Tour’s Apulia San Domenico Grand Final.

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Simon Thornton in action in the 2011 Irish Open in Killarney. Picture/www.golffile.ieSimon Thornton is keeping his fingers crossed for a special double-delivery this Saturday. The County Down professional wants to clinch his European Tour card in the final round of the Challenge Tour’s Apulia San Domenico Grand Final. But he knows his concentration will be tested to the limit with his wife Ciara due to give birth to the couple’s second child that day.

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Colm Moriarty. Picture by Fran Caffrey/www.golffile.ieColm Moriarty saw his bid to secure the third place finish he required to qualify for the Challenge Tour’s Grand Final come up short after an agonising double bogey seven during final round of the penultimate event of the season, the Roma Golf Open.

The Glasson professional, who burst into contention with a brilliant third round 65 at the Olgiata Golf Club, holed his 96 yard approach on the first hole of the final round for an eagle two and led the tournament until the par five 15th where a double bogey seven brought a cruel end to his hopes of winning the title and keeping his Challenge Tour season alive.

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Colm Moriarty found form in the nick of time in Rome. Photo Jenny Matthews/www.golffile.ieColm Moriarty blasted his best round for more than 15 months to set up a European Tour card-winning lifeline at the Roma Golf Open.

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Simon Thornton is well aware that things are tight on the Challenge Tour. Picture Fran Caffrey/www.golffile.ie Simon Thornton confessed that his tour card ambitions are being tempered by fear in the Roma Golf Open.

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Simon Thornton in action in June’s Italian Open. Photo Eoin Clarke/Golffile 2011Simon Thornton kept his cool in Rome to take another giant step towards regaining his European Tour card.

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Colm Moriarty needs a top-3 in Rome to make the Challenge Tour Grand Final and avoid Stage Two of Q-School. Photo Jenny Matthews/www.golffile.ie Colm Moriarty will bring nothing but aggression to this week’s Roma Golf Challenge where he needs at least a top three finish to qualify for the Challenge Tour Grand Final in two weeks’ time.

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Padraig Harrington is targeting victory in the Portugal Masters. Photo Eoin Clarke/www.golffile.iePadraig Harrington has played in 38 World Golf Championship events - more than any other player. But if he doesn’t win the Portugal Masters this week or add the Andalucia Masters to his schedule and win that instead of playing in a clashing, $5 million invitational for 30 players in China, he’s unlikely to make it 39 appearances in next month’s WGC-HSBC Champions.

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