A round up of today's other golf stories in brief...
Duke takes his chance to grab early lead in John Deere Classic
US TOUR:American Ken Duke had the clubhouse lead in the first round of the John Deere Classic in Silvis, Illinois, yesterday after a round of 64.
Duke has a one-shot lead over compatriots Eric Axley, Garrettt Willis and tournament favourite Kenny Perry.
The 39-year-old Duke, who has never won on the PGA Tour, birdied the first two holes and ended with eight birdies and a bogey.
Most of the top players on the tour are already in Europe preparing for next week's British Open and Duke said the competition was wide open.
"There wasn't much wind at all and the greens are soft and they're rolling good, they're rolling true. There's a lot of guys out here who are good and if you give them good conditions, they're going to shoot good numbers," said Duke. "I've played for 14 years, so you have to take the good with the bad."
CHALLENGE TOUR:Chilean-born Swede Joel Sjoholm, who counts next-door neighbour Thomas Bjorn as a mentor and friend, grabbed the lead on the opening day of the Credit Suisse Challenge with a scintillating eight-under-par 65.
Playing in only his second Challenge event, the self-confessed "golf nut" took time out from his studies at Georgia State University to post eight birdies at Wylihof Golf Club in Luterbach, Switzerland, and so establish a one-shot lead over the field.
The 23-year-old, who at three months old was adopted by a Swedish family after leaving his native Chile, leads by one stroke from Germany's Benjamin Miarka and Italian Marco Crespi.
Gareth Maybin is just two off the pace after a six-birdie round of 67 while Michael McGeady shot 70.
EUROPEAN AMATEUR:In the second flight of the European Women's Team Championship in Sweden the Irish lost 3-2 to Switzerland with Niamh Kitching succombing to a birdie from Carol Rominger on the 17th which spelled the end of her hopes and those of her country.
GIRLS:Ireland suffered heartache last night as they slipped to the cruellest of defeats in the quarter-finals of the European Girls Team Championship at Murcar north of Aberdeen yesterday.
They went down 3-2 to Switzerland after 13-year-old Irish champion Leona Maguire had lost at the first extra hole to Rebeeca Huber - and moments earlier twin sister Lisa was beaten on the last by Anais Maggetti.
The 19th hole reverse of Leona sealed Ireland's fate and the diminutive Slieve Russell teenager was naturally bitterly upset to have lost in such a manner.
Earlier, the foursomes had been shared with the Maguires winning their match but Victoria Bradshaw and Sarah Cunningham were beaten.
Bradshaw, from Bangor, made amends though by taking her singles 3 and 2 against Sherlyn Popelka after always being in charge.
BOYS:Ireland suffered disappointment in the quarter-finals of the European Boys Team Championship at Bled in Slovenia when they went down 4½-2½ in the quarter-finals to Norway.
Having lost both foursomes they faced an uphill task and despite a brave battle were not able to bridge the gap.
Alan Dunbar and Luke Lennox both won at extra holes but it was not sufficient and now like the girls, the best they can hope for is a fifth-place finish which would be respectable.
EUROPEAN TOUR:The Czech Republic will next year host a European Tour event for the first time since 1997.
The €2.5 million Czech Open is to be played at the Miguel Angel Jimenez-designed Prosper Golf Resort in Celadna from July 30th to August 2nd.
The Czech Open was last played 11 years ago when twice US Masters champion Bernhard Langer secured a four-stroke victory at the Prague Karlstein Golf Club.
