Teeing it up for the first time since the Ryder Cup, Reed showed no signs of rust and made four birdies to turn in 32 before gains on the first three holes ensured he steered clear of the chasing pack.

It would have to be Tommy Fleetwood standing in his way, wouldn’t it?  Seven weeks on from their bromance at the Ryder Cup, the skinny Scouser is the only man who can stop Francesco Molinari.

McIlroy remained defiant on Thursday amid the gathering tide of criticism over his threat to quit the European Tour. ‘I’d cause all the stirs in the world if I can get back to winning majors,’ he said.

McIlroy raised eyebrows when he said he would focus primarily on tournaments in the United States next year and that he might not meet the European Tour's minimum event requirement.

Thomas Bjorn fulfilled a promise to get a tattoo after leading Europe to a 17½-10½ Ryder Cup victory over USA in September. The Dane finally underwent the procedure.

The three-time major winner is the clear favourite to succeed Thomas Bjorn at Whistling Straits, where Europe will be bidding to defend the trophy won in Paris last year.

The three-time major winner succeeds Thomas Bjorn, as Europe bid to defend the trophy. He was announced as captain at a press conference at the European Tour's Wentworth headquarters.

MARTIN SAMUEL - CHIEF SPORTS WRITER: The idea McIlroy needs to show greater loyalty to the game on this side of the Atlantic, or risk forfeiting his place in the Ryder Cup team, is just nonsense.

Former Ryder Cup captain Bernard Gallacher came back from the dead three times after he suffered a cardiac arrest following a day of golf. Now, he's paying his good fortune forward to help others.

Jordan Spieth and Patrick Reed played to the cameras as they attempted to publicly put any animosity behind them during the Farmers Insurance Open.

Former Ryder Cup star Thomas Pieters took advantage of benign morning conditions to lead a world-class field in the inaugural Saudi International.

Stricker, who lives just over two hours away from the host venue of Whistling Straits, has made three appearances in the biennial contest as a player, most recently at Medinah in 2012.

DEREK LAWRENSON: Here in the tourist capital of America they're fond of telling you it's the place where dreams come true. For Frankie Molinari, it has proved the place where the dream goes on.

Thomas Pieters will take a one-shot lead into the weekend at the Maybank Championship as he bids to end his two-and-a-half-year wait for a regular European Tour title.

Europe's Ryder Cup captain Padraig Harrington will have just three wild cards at his disposal for next year's trophy defence in America — at his own request.

Brooks Koepka finished the opening round of the USPGA with a staggering round of 63 to finish -7 and give him the outright lead. The American posted seven birdies and no bogies.

United States Ryder Cup captain Steve Stricker has no intention of following opposite number Padraig Harrington and changing his number of wild cards.

Brooks Koepka made a mockery of Bethpage Black's fearsome reputation in the first round, but there is still all to play for with three rounds to go. Follow all the action right here.

They say there's no such thing as the perfect golfer but over three rounds of complete domination at the USPGA Championship, Brooks Koepka has given a pretty good impression.

Brooks Koepka won the 101st USPGA Championship on Sunday to join the legends of the game with his successful defence of the Wanamaker Trophy.

AMITAI WINEHOUSE: Ahead of the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox clash this weekend, Sportsmail looks and put together a top 10 for the biggest rivalries on the planet.

One day after ridiculing the idea that odds of 100-1 represented any sort of value on him winning the Irish Open, Padraig Harrington opened with a marvellous 63 for a one-stroke lead.

On a perfect day for scoring, Donaldson took full advantage with a fine 64 on Thursday to lie just one shot off the first-round lead held by American Matt Kuchar and three continentals.

Tommy Fleetwood is determined to keep a sense of perspective as he looks to end the major season on a high at the Open Championship at Royal Portrush.

DEREK LAWRENSON AT ROYAL PORTRUSH: Less than two hours after setting foot in Northern Ireland for the first time, Tiger Woods had checked into his rental home, and was on the first tee.

INTERVIEW: After a few years of the weird and wonderful, you won't be too surprised to learn that the Claret Jug has been on a rather more sedate journey in the safe hands of Francesco Molinari.

Paul McGinley believes 'something must be amiss' with Tiger Woods for him to play just ten competitive rounds of golf between the Masters three months ago and the Open.

IAN LADYMAN AT PORTRUSH: Outgoing champion Francesco Molinari admitted he hadn't particularly enjoyed the experience of defending his title this week.

Ryder Cup captain Padraig Harrington wants Shane Lowry to build on his Open success and lead out the Europe team at Whistling Straits next year. Harrington is a close friend of Lowry's.

Former Ryder Cup golfer Gordon Brand Jr has died aged 60. The Scot starred in the 1987 and 1989 Ryder Cups and commentated as Shane Lowry won The Open just two weeks ago.

One of the Duke's flunkies last week contacted the exclusive Real Club Valderrama in Sotogrande, one of the best-known golf clubs in Europe, to make arrangements.

WORLD OF GOLD EXCLUSIVE BY DEREK LAWRENSON: Nathaniel, 57, arrives with a clutch of great stories about his father and the natural bonhomie that was the preserve of his old man.

Karlsson, who played twice for Europe as a player, performed the same role under Thomas Bjorn when Europe regained the trophy at Le Golf National in Paris last year.

WORLD OF GOLF: I blame Colin Montgomerie. It's a decade since the Scot marked the start of Ryder Cup qualifying by writing down the 12 players who he thought would make his team.

Since winning the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am in February, Mickelson has recorded just one top-20 finish on the PGA Tour - a tie for 18th at the Masters - and has slipped to 47th in the world

The millionaires lashed out online after Mr Corbyn said that 'in a fair society there would be no billionaires and no one would live in poverty'. Mr Poulter branded the Labour leader a 'complete buffoon'.

The Telegraph reported that Ryder Cup would likely follow a similar fate and would be postponed until 2021 as the coronavirus continues to wreak havoc across the world.

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW BY OLIVER HOLT: Ian Poulter has barely left his home in the last 50 days, mostly because of concerns about his eight-year-old son, Joshua.

The Irish beauty, who is currently five-and-a-half months pregnant, admitted that while the couple are 'excited' to expand their family, they 'had a few bumps in the road this time round'.

Pregnant Millie Mackintosh has penned an emotional Instagram post revealing her anxiety about being pregnant and giving birth amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Made In Chelsea fans were left delighted when Binky Felstead announced she was returning to the show for its imminent 19th season.

Ahead of his return to Made In Chelsea on Monday night, Ollie Locke has shared with MailOnline what fans can expect from him in the show's 19th season.

Made In Chelsea's series 19 cast list was unveiled earlier this month with a notable couple missing from the line-up. 

The Made In Chelsea star has shared a heartbreaking tribute to his late mum who passed away last April following a 'brief battle' with brain cancer.

The Made In Chelsea star, 29, took to Instagram to share snaps and a clip of her fitness regime with her personal trainer beau, 29.

The Made In Chelsea star, 25, explained that her dog can't walk on the floor as he's not had his second lot of vet jabs due to the UK coronavirus lockdown.

Made In Chelsea star Heloise Agostinelli has revealed she has been diagnosed with the coronavirus.

Louise Thompson spent her 30th birthday in isolation with her fiancé Ryan Libbey due to the current coronavirus lockdown.

Sophie Habboo was left VERY unimpressed as boyfriend Jamie Laing stripped down in front of her to try spicing things up in the bedroom amid lockdown boredom on Tuesday.

Binky Felstead shared a sweet video of daughter India and boyfriend Max Fredrik Darnton doing yoga together on Instagram on Friday.