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.

DEREK LAWRENSON - WORLD OF GOLF SPECIAL: From New York to Paris and plenty of less exotic stops in between, this was a year to savour. This was the year of the nice guy — and girl.

Francesco Molinari is European Tour’s Golfer of the Year following his historic season that saw him become the first Italian to win the Open and first European to win a full five points at the Ryder Cup.

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.

DEREK LAWRENSON - WORLD OF GOLF: For all its reputation as a pampered man’s sport, golf has been a rich source for tales of success that go way beyond the territory of the unexpected.

Lee Westwood all but removed any doubt that he will be Europe’s Ryder Cup captain in 2022 on Tuesday when he declared the timing ‘ideal’ for him to take the reins in Italy.

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.

DEREK LAWRENSON - WORLD OF GOLF: After reaching the age of 35 in the summer of 2015, Rose sat down with his inner circle and devised a five-year plan. Three years in, it's going well.

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

Planning and discussions with several countries and governments remain in the early stages following the success of last year's Ryder Cup in Paris, where Europe beat the USA 17½-10½.

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.

DEREK LAWRENSON - WORLD OF GOLF: Like the start of the cricket season, the moment the European Tour touches down in Britain is usually the cue for the sun to disappear.

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.

DEREK LAWRENSON - WORLD OF GOLF SPECIAL: America's leading golfers have the chance to complete a clean sweep of all four majors at the Open at Royal Portrush in July.

The European Tour has hired former Premier League executive chairman Scudamore to help boost revenue from the Ryder Cup, the Financial Times reported on Thursday.

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.

DEREK LAWRENSON - WORLD OF GOLF: Three months ago, Chris Wood was feeling so addled by golf he walked off a course mid-round for the first time in his life and out of the Morocco Open.

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.

Should Harry Kane be considering a second career after football then maybe he could try his hand at golf. That's if the advice of Ian Poulter is anything to go by.

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.

The Irish government and European Tour organisers are understood to have agreed a deal for the biennial clash between Europe and the USA to be staged in Limerick.

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.

Ryder Cup winner Thorbjorn Olesen has been suspended from the European Tour after being charged with sexual assault, being drunk on an aircraft and common assault.

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.

The Ryder Cup winner, a Danish national, was arrested on July 29 after a flight from Nashville to London.

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.

Matt Fitzpatrick will be among the spectators this weekend when his brother Alex follows in his footsteps and represents Britain and Ireland against America in the Walker Cup at Royal Liverpool.

American Danielle Kang has stirred the pot nicely with some provocative remarks about wanting to 'crush' the Europeans and make the home supporters cry at Gleneagles.

DEREK LAWRENSON AT GLENAGLES: They used to say that the Solheim Cup was like the 'Ryder Cup with lipstick.' These days, 'with stilettos' might be a better fit.

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.