GOLF DIGEST: WORLD MATCHPLAY: American Ryder Cup star Anthony Kim and India's Jeev Milkha Singh are the latest names in the 16-strong field for the Volvo World Matchplay Championship in Spain in five weeks.
They join Paul Casey, Retief Goosen, Camilo Villegas, Robert Allenby and Scott Strange, but Kim’s inclusion is confirmation that world number one Tiger Woods will not be taking part.
Kim comes in as the leading US player because Phil Mickelson, Kenny Perry, Steve Stricker, Stewart Cink, Jim Furyk and Lucas Glover also turned down the chance to compete for a first prize of more than €550,000.
Singh has opted to play at Finca Cortesin rather than defend his Singapore Open title.
In contrast, Ernie Els will not be going for an eighth matchplay crown because he has committed to Singapore.
The other players in Spain will be determined by the world rankings and European money list in the coming two weeks.
TOUR SCHOOL: Ireland's Mervyn Owens and John Kelly remain on course to progress after yesterday's second round of qualifying school stage one.
Kelly is tied fifth at the Oxfordshire after rounds of 70 and 68 while Owens is tied sixth at Muritz in Germany after adding a 72 to his opening 67. David Higgins and Michael Collins are just one shot behind Kelly at the Oxfordshire and also well contention.
WOMEN'S TOUR: At last week's Open de France three Irish players finished inside the top-15 and all three admit that they are being driven by their desire to make Europe's 2011 Solheim Cup team at Killeen Castle.
Carlow’s Rebecca Coakley managed a season-best share of seventh spot, while Tara Delaney, also from Carlow, and Dubliner Hazel Kavanagh finished together in a tie for 15th on five under par.
Kavanagh, who tied for third place in Austria the previous week, is currently the highest ranked Irish player at 40th on the money List.
Coakley said: “It would be very special for me to be able to play in 2011; to be at home and have my friends and family around me. To me that’s an ultimate goal.”
This week the Irish contingent will tee it up in the Tenerife Ladies Open at Golf Costa Adeje, where England’s Rebecca Hudson defends the title.
