Graeme McDowell follows his putt the 17th at Kingston Heath during the third round of the Australian Masters in Melbourne (Photo: Anthony Powter)When a player is given major incentives to appear in an event, missing the cut can lead to some lingering guilt.

Graeme McDowell in action in Melbourne in Thursday’s first round. Friday was more of a struggle. Graeme McDowell saw a dream start turn into a nightmare on the greens as he crashed to a second round 77 but still made the cut by the skin of his teeth in the Talisker Masters in Melbourne.

Adam Scott missed a few chances early on but still shot a five under 67 in the first round of the Talisker Masters at Kingston Heath. Pic courtesy australianmasters.com.auJust a couple of days after weighing in on the debate on the anchoring of long putters - he’s firmly against it - Graeme McDowell was comfortably outputted by broomstick-wielding Adam Scott in the Talisker Masters in Melbourne.

Graeme McDowell speaks in Melbourne before the Taliker Masters. Picture courtesy pgatour.com.auGraeme McDowell could have won two majors this year but walked away empty-handed as men anchoring long putters lifted trophies in the US Open and The Open.

The tape on Graeme McDowell’s injured right hand is clearly visibie in this shot by www.golffile.ieShane Lowry remained on course to break into the world’s Top 50 as as Graeme McDowell insisted his season will not come to a premature end despite nursing a badly bruised right hand in the WGC-HSBC Champions in China.

Darren Clarke and Gary Murphy came up short of their goals as the regular European Tour season ended in Hong Kong and Melbourne.

Clarke finished tied 11th in the Hong Kong Open but finished 61st in the Race to Dubai standings and so failed to qualify for next week’s Dubai World Championship by just €7,382 from Jamie Donaldson.

In the end, the top 120 in the Race to Dubai kept their cards but Murphy must now head for the Qualifying School finals as he finished €15,942 adrift of last man Seve Benson in 124th with €234,844.

Friday the 13th was a pretty good day for the Irish on tour.

In Spain, John Kelly gave himself a boost ahead of next week's Q-School when he shot the lowest individual score of the week at the PGAs of Europe International Team Championship.

Kelly, David Ryan and Peter Martin all shot four under par 68s to give Ireland the best score of the day, clinching a share of fourth place at Roda in Murcia.

Sir Nick Faldo can rest easy. There was no banter between Rory McIlroy and Lee Westwood on the BBC 606 golf blog today.  

No doubt the pair were spent after the first round of the UBS Hong Kong Open where they (and Peter Lawrie) opened with four under par 66s to trail the unheralded 39-year old, Udorn Duangdecha of Thailand, by four shots.

Irish warriors Darren Clarke and Gary Murphy have the guts and determination to come through two massive tests this week.

At least, that’s the view of managers Chubby Chandler and Gary Evans who will be watching the scoreboard nervously as their men launch last gasp bids to salvage their season in Hong Kong and Melbourne.

Clarke needs at least a top-20 finish in the UBS Hong Kong Open to make Europe’s top 60 and join stablemates Lee Westwood and Rory McIlroy in next week’s $7.5m (€5m euro) Dubai World Championship.

But it’s an even bigger task for Kilkenny cat Murphy, who rubs shoulders with world No 1 Tiger Woods in the clashing JBWere Australian Masters needing at least a top-15 finish to avoid a trip to the qualifying school.

Major winner Geoff Ogilvy is tipping Rory McIlroy to take over from Tiger Woods as world No 1.

McIlroy is on a rollBut the Ulster kid’s first goal is to become king of Europe so he can hurry home and play with his new Lamborghini.

McIlroy is just €52,320 behind Race to Dubai leader Lee Westwood as the top two go head to head in this week’s UBS Hong Kong Open.

Rory McIlroy played second fiddle to an old rival as Aaron Baddeley won the Australian Masters in a four-hole play-off.

Baddeley beat Swede Daniel Chopra in a thrilling finish as a lacklustre McIlroy finished tied 15th after a 73.

Wizard of Oz Rory McIlroy roared into a share of third in the Australian Masters.

Inspired by Aaron Baddeley, the teenager blasted a three under par 69 at Huntingdale to get to within just four shots of leader Robert Allenby on five under par.

Rules whizz Rory McIlroy left his Aussie playing partners red-faced at the Mastercard Masters in Melbourne.

The teenager, 18, was quizzed by Aaron Baddley and John Senden about taking a two club length drop from a sprinkler head as he opened with a two under par 70 to share 10th place behind Robert Allenby.

Rory McIlroy has vowed to bounce back from his first missed cut as a pro with a top show in Australia.

The Holywood ace, 18, tees it up in the Mastercard Masters at Huntingdale in Melbourne determined to make up for last week's failure in Hong Kong.