Golf News round-up: Peter Lawrie fired a three-under-par 69 as the five Irishmen in the field made promising starts in the Volvo China Open in Shenzhen GC.
Lawrie trails first-round leaders François Delamontagne of France and Thailand's Chawalit Plaphol, who both posted excellent seven-under-par 65s.
Lawrie fired five birdies in his round but spoiled a good card with a double bogey six at the 10th. Gary Murphy is next of the Irish on one-under 71, the same mark as Wexford's Damien McGrane while Michael Hoey is on level-par 72 and David Higgins on 73.
Early-leader Plaphol fired two eagles and five birdies in a 65 which was later matched by Delamontagne, who eagled the 18th. Veteran Barry Lane struck a blow for the older generation with a five-under 67 to lie just two shots off the lead.
GRAND SLAM OF GOLF: World number one Tiger Woods fired a final round eight-under 64 to romp to a seven-stroke win over Phil Mickelson and his sixth PGA Grand Slam of Golf crown in Hawaii.
Woods, who was fighting a stomach virus and nearly ruled out of the elite four-man 36-hole event after injuring his ankle winning the Dunlop Phoenix tournament in Japan, was in masterful form, posting a two-day total of 13-under 131 to maintain a perfect six-for-six record.
Mickelson, the US PGA champion, closed with a four-under 68 to finish runner-up on six-under 138 at the event at the Poipu Bay Golf Course in Kauai.
US Open champion Michael Campbell of New Zealand returned a two-under 70 to take third place with one-under 143 while world number two Vijay Singh of Fiji was last after carding a three-under 69 for a final total of even par 144.
SENIORS TOUR SCHOOL: Jimmy Heggarty just missed out on a full tour card for next season when he finished on four-under-par 280 - one shot outside the cut - in the European Seniors Tour Qualifying School finals at Pestana Golf Resort on the Algarve yesterday.
However, Heggarty and John Curtis, claimed conditional cards which will allow the Irish pair to compete in a number of events next year.
Australian Stewart Ginn led the six qualifiers for full cards after a final round of 68 for a total of 10-under-par 274.
The six full cards went to Ginn, American Kurt Cox and South Africans Bobby Lincoln and Bertus Smit. England's Stephen Chadwick and Rigoberto Velasquez of Columbia, who both finished on five under par, earned the remaining two cards.
WORLD OPEN: American teenager Michelle Wie carded a one-over-par 73 at the men's Casio World Open in Kochi City, Japan, to be five shots off the pace set by Toshimitsu Izawa and Yoshiaki Kimura.
The 16-year-old, playing only her second professional event having been controversially disqualified in America last month, rescued her round with two late birdies after slipping to three over after 12 holes.
Starting at the 10th she played regulation golf until she three-putted the par-four 16th to turn in 37 at the Kochi Kuroshio Country Club. After a 40-minute wait at the first she then dropped a shot at the short second another at the next when her par putt lipped out.
AUSTRALIAN OPEN: Home favourite Robert Allenby fired an opening-round 63 at the Australian Open to claim a one-stroke lead from American Spencer Levin on the Moonah Links course in Victoria.
Allenby tore the course apart, carding 10 birdies and one bogey in the calmer morning conditions.
Local entrants fill the rest of the top positions on the leaderboard, with Scott Laycock in outright third after shooting seven-under par 65, one stroke ahead of Adam Scott and Geoff Ogilvy.
Scott weighed into the debate that has been raging over two-time British Open champion Greg Norman's input into Australian golf, insisting he had done enough and should not feel obliged to do more.
On his first visit back to his country since turning professional United States-based Australian Mark Hensby had called on Norman to use his influence, power and contacts to help the ailing Australian Tour to reclaim its position in world golf after his practice round on Wednesday.
Irish amateur champion Rory McIlroy opened with a one-over-par 73.
SOLHEIM CUP: Swede Helen Alfredsson has been named Europe's captain for the 2007 Solheim Cup.
Alfredsson is the third Swedish woman to be handed the honour, following Catrin Nilsmark (2003, 2005) and Pia Nilsson (1998), and will lead the side on home soil at Halmstad Golfklubb from September 14th-16th
