Ronan Rafferty

Event has grown in importance and Lowry, Molinari and Rose will compete this year

Out of Bounds: Numbers have dwindled since the 1990s due to a number of different factors

Philip Reid’s first Masters was in 1991, and like then there’s only one Irish in the field

Warrenpoint’s Fletcher claims Irish Close title by one hole against Athenry’s Kitt

Paul McGinley among five Irishmen who failed to survive the cut in poor conditions

The oldest Major starts in Royal Troon on Thursday and the pressure will be intense

German part of a record eight-way tie for lead after opening round at Sunningdale

Nothing gentle about Ben’s week . . . Stadler’s zero sum game . . . JB’s two drivers . . . check that scorecard

German’s six birdies and two bogeys leave second-placed Colin Montgomerie and rest far behind

Philip Walton and Des Smyth best of the Irish following opening 72s

Des Smyth, Philip Walton and Dennis O’Sullivan also in action at Royal Porthcawl on the South Wales coast

Mapping out the success ofa surveying technology firm