Mystic Monks the pacemakers

Maybe we have a vertigo problem here

Maybe we have a vertigo problem here. For the 11th time in 17 weeks, there's a new name at the top of our overall leaderboard after Paul Ryan's Raiders 5 came over all dizzy and woozy on reaching the summit last week. Either that or you're all reluctant to lead from the front and are hoping Fionnuala McMahon will act as your pacemaker between now and September.

Fionnuala's Mystic Monks have been loitering with intent for much of the competition but finally took over top spot following last weekend's European Grand Prix and St Jude Classic where the five players she had in action won a solid £117,250 between them.

Darren Clarke top-scored for the line-up named after a monkfish dish (strange bunch, Golf Masters' managers), after tying for third at Slaley Hall, with Kirk Triplett and Steve Flesch finishing in the top 10 at Southwind.

Des Heather, who was overall leader back in weeks five, six and seven, is up to second from fourth this week with Paul Ryan slipping back to third. Our big movers, though, are recent fourball winner Michael Delaney, up from 22nd to fourth, and Colin Rutherford of Lisburn whose teams have come from nowhere to fifth and ninth (and 18th).

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Colin has Clarke and Fredrik Jacobson, runner-up to Lee Westwood at the European Grand Prix, to thank for his hike up the leaderboard, but if you bump in to him any day soon don't mention Jacobsen's bogey five on the 16th that all but ended the Swede's hopes of winning the tournament and Colin's dreams of a trip to Tulfarris.

Golf Masters managers are, of course, a compassionate lot so Ger Moran of Ballybrack, Co Dublin would, we're certain, have been desperately disappointed for Jacobsen, even though his slip-up all but guaranteed his man, Westwood, his second European Tour victory of the year. Cough.

Mind you, Ger was due a change in fortune because he was pipped to a fourball last year by "a few quid", according to his brother James, who is assuming he will be selected for the Tulfarris team because "after all, I bring The Irish Times into the house". Sounds like a good enough reason to us.

We'll also send the brothers a couple of polo shirts to wear on their day out, but we express a fervent wish that they don't deck themselves out in the item of "clothing" that gives its names to Ger's winning team. (But, if you plan to, give us a call and we'll arrange for a photographer to meet you at the course).

Notah Begay doubled Westwood's £100,000 contribution to the account of Ger's scantily clad line-up after winning the St Jude Classic, with Clarke and Triplett chipping in with another £88,000 between them - Neal Lancaster and Esteban Toledo both missed the cut.

Golf Masters' veterans may have spotted that the cream is beginning to rise to the top on our leaderboard, with three of our former champions, Paul Sheehan, Michael McManamon and David Maune (last year's winner), now sitting snugly in the top 30. No one has ever won the competition twice but maybe, just maybe, Paul, Michael or David will make history this year. If they do, the drinks are on them.

On we go. The Greater Hartford Open is this week's US tournament but the big one is, of course, the Irish Open at Ballybunion where there's bonus money on offer. And remember, if there's an Irish winner he will earn his managers an exceedingly handsome £400,000.