D Wednesday, October 21, 2009 METROSPORT 21 RoRy McIlRoy is preparing to take the battle to become Europes No.1 to the wire after losing his place at the top of the standings to lee Westwood at the weekend. Westwood (pictured) moved 209,000 ahead of McIlroy in the Race to Dubai with victory at the Portugal Masters on Sunday. McIlroy continues his bid for the Harry Vardon Trophy at the Volvo World Match Play in Spain next week before taking part in the HSBC Champions in Shanghai, the Hong Kong open and finally the decisive Dubai World Championship. lee overtook me at the weekend and I think we are playing the same tournaments in the run in, said the Irishman. It will be good to chase him all the way to the finish and I will have to play some really good golf to try and overtake him. But there are lots of other guys still in with chance like Martin Kaymer and Paul Casey. McIlroy, meanwhile, seems likely to shun the PGA Tour and remain committed to Europe next season. I am still thinking about it but I am leaning towards playing in Europe, added the 20-year-old. Ill obviously play 12 or 13 events in America if I dont take my card anyway. I just feel that I have a lot of time on my hands, so if I dont do it next year I can always do it the year after. In the hunt: McIlroy Westwood woe spurs on McIlroy Killarney is confirmed as Open venue THE 3 Irish Open will take place at Killarneys Killeen course on July 29-August 1, it was confirmed yesterday. It is a change not only of venue, but also of date for the tournament won by amateur Shane Lowry at Baltray this May. Killarney previously played host in 1991 and 1992, with Nick Faldo winning both times. Robert Finnegan, chief executive of mobile phone company 3, said: Killarneys Killeen is a magnificent course in an idyllic setting and we expect many of the worlds top golfers to take part in what will be a magical weekend in one of the worlds great beauty spots. Three-times major winner Padraig Harrington said: I am 100 per cent sure that the venue will be very popular with the players. golf gaa SPORT Digest Ligament damage: Phillips TENNIS: Martina Hingis will not join fellow former world No.1 players Kim Clijsters and Justine Henin in making a return to top- level tennis. No, no, no, sure, the 29-year-old Swiss star told French sports daily LEquipe when asked whether she planned another comeback. You cant just snap your fingers and say lets go and play the Australian Open. Hingis, who spent 209 weeks at No.1 and won five Grand Slam titles, came out of retirement in 2006 and in January 2008 she was handed a two-year ban starting from October 1, 2007, after testing positive for cocaine at Wimbledon. She is now eligible to play again. RUGBY: Wales autumn Test plans have been dealt a huge blow with the loss of scrum-half Mike Phillips. Phillips, a star of the Lions gripping Test series against world champions South Africa this summer, faces at least 12 weeks out because of ligament damage. He limped off before half-time in the Ospreys 25-24 Heineken Cup victory over French side Clermont Auvergne two days ago, and is set to undergo further tests this week. Wales coach Warren Gatland is already without Lee Byrne (foot) and Adam Jones (shoulder) for the autumn Tests that start against New Zealand on November 7. FORMULA ONE: Jenson Button believes his title defence will be the most difficult in the history of Formula One. The 29-year-old sealed his maiden crown this weekend at the Brazilian Grand Prix, and he believes defending his title, something no British driver has ever done, will be a stiff test. Its getting more and more difficult, he said. Its a very competitive sport. Every single driver on the grid deserves to be there. So to have the competitiveness between the drivers, but also the teams its amazing how close its been this season. Its going to be difficult but thats every drivers aim and that will be my aim next season. Begley still undecided on extending AFL stayBY PAUL keANe Options open: Begley has not ruled out a return to Laois Picture: Getty ColM BEGlEy has been offered a one-year contract extension at St Kilda which could see him team up with Kerrys Tommy Walsh in Aus- tralian Rules. Begley has just completed a disap- pointing first season with the club, having previously spent three years with the Brisbane lions. Despite making just one appear- ance in 2009 for AFl Grand Final- ists St Kilda, they have told him they will extend his contract by a year. It raises the prospect of him lining up alongside All-Ireland winner Walsh, who quit Kerry earlier this week to sign a rookie contract with St Kilda. But Begley has not ruled out returning home to play for laois in 2010, having competed in the 2005 leinster final against Dublin. He is due home from a holiday to- day and will discuss his future with AFl agent Ricky Nixon, who is in Ireland tying up the Walsh deal. Theres an extra year on the table at St Kilda if Colm wants it but he hasnt made a call on it yet, said Colms brother, Joe, who aids Nix- on with recruitment in Ireland. Hes been away and he plans to have a meeting with Ricky later on in the week. Basically, he has a decision to make by the end of the week wheth- er to throw in his lot with laois or go back to Australia. The offer is there. Controversial agent Nixon was in Ulster yesterday finalising the de- tails of two other moves. Under-21 Down player Jamie oReilly is moving to the Richmond Tigers while Antrims Niall McK- eever is heading to Brisbane. It is understood that Nixon also wants to bring McKeevers team- mate Toms McCann to Brisbane for trials. And in a development that will shock Donegal, Nixon is also hoping to convince full-forward and young Player of the year Michael Murphy to agree to trials Down Under. FORMeR Louth player Peter Fitzpatrick is to succeed eamonn Mceneaney as the countys new football manager. Louth chiefs hoped to be in a position to ratify a new manager last Monday. But instead the name of Fitzpatrick was recommended at that nights meeting of the countys Management Committee. His name will now go forward for ratification at a full county board meeting on November 9. Dundalk man Fitzpatrick was a fan favourite as a county defender in the 1980s and 1990s, but he is tasked with restoring pride in the Wee County after Mceneaneys four- year reign finished with a poor 2009 campaign that ended in defeat by Tipperary. Meanwhile, Meath man Paddy kelly has been lined up as Louths hurling manager. Fitzpatrick is chosen to succeed McEneaney in Louth rugby magners league Pleased: Gaffney Leinster look to build on Brive display lEINSTER return to Magners league action this weekend hoping to build on an impressive display in Saturdays victory at Brive in the Heineken Cup, writes Gareth Makim. The European champions travel to Ravenhill to take on a much-improved Ulster side, who showed they have regained much of their former resilience at home in adding a win over Bath in Belfast two weeks ago to the earlier scalp of in-form llanelli this season. And leinster consultant coach Alan Gaffney believes Ulster will provide another stern test for the 28-man squad. To go to France and win is always tough, so we were pleased to get the four points, Gaffney said. The players showed great strength of character and resolve to bounce back from the london Irish defeat and though we perhaps werent as clinical as we would have liked to be in the closing quarter of the match, we got the win and it sets us up when the next rounds of the Heineken Cup come along in December. There will be some tough selections in both the backs and forwards this week. It was encouraging for someone like Kev [Mclaughlin] to come in and perform as he did coming off the bench, while it was also good for CJ [van der linde] to get some game time because hes a world-class player who can make a big impact for us this season. Ulster have been in impressive form and Ravenhill is a difficult place to play and an even tougher place to win. Meanwhile, Munster have named a 26- strong squad for their trip to Edinburgh. Coach Tony McGahan is without four frontline front rowers Jerry Flannery, Tony Buckley (both with calf injuries), Marcus Horan (head) and John Hayes (suspension) meaning a likely start for Academy player Stephen Archer. squad news Leinster squad (v Ulster): L Cullen (capt), J Fogarty, C Healy, J Heaslip, N Hines, B Jackman, S Jennings, S Keogh, R McCormack, K McLaughlin, M OKelly, S OBrien, M Ross, D Toner, CJ van der Linde. S Berne, G DArcy, G Dempsey, L Fitzgerald, S Horgan, C Keane, R Kearney, S Keogh, F McFadden, I Nacewa, B ODriscoll, E Reddan, J Sexton Munster squad (v edinburgh): F Jones, K Earls, D Howlett, D Hurley, I Dowling, J de Villiers, L Mafi, P Warwick, R OGara, P Stringer, T OLeary, N Williams, D Wallace, N Ronan, D Leamy, A Quinlan, M ODriscoll, D Ryan, D OCallaghan, P OConnell (capt), D Varley, D Fogarty, AN Other, S Archer, J Brugnaut, D Hurley. index.html2.html3.html4.html5.html6.html7.html8.html9.html10.html11.html12.html13.html14.html15.html16.html17.html18.html19.html20.html21.html22.html23.html