Golf Central

In 1990, IGWT’s favourite Spanish double Masters winner had a final day 73 in the Benson & Hedges International, but it was enough for Jose Maria Olazabal to lift the pot because his nearest challenger, Ian Woosnam, also shot 73. Ollie raised the trophy again a decade later, after Padraig Harrington was disqualified for a scorecard error, going into the final round with a five-stroke lead. Ollie’s best days may all be in his rear-view mirror but he is still an object lesson in how to hit a smooth iron.

In other fields of human endeavour, momentous events were taking place. In 1945, for example, General Alfred Jodl, on behalf of Germany, signed an unconditional surrender to take effect the following day, ending the European shenanigans known as WWII. A bit further back, in 1429, another battler by the name of Joan of Arc ended the Siege of Orleans by pulling an arrow from her own shoulder and leading the final charge to victory – which became a turning point in the Hundred Years’ War. She was rubbish with a pitching wedge, though.

And then in 1915 a German submarine torpedoed and sank the RMS Lusitania, killing 1,198 people. Because 128 or them were American, US public opinion was stirred to such an extent that their government soon pitched in on the side of the good guys. Whoever said they were insular?
And in 2001, nearer to home, a thousand healthy cattle on Exmoor were slaughtered, to prevent them catching the foot and mouth disease from which they might die, while loveable rogue (aka violent criminal) Ronnie Biggs, the ‘Great Train Robber’ was finally returned to pokey in the UK. Having escaped from prison four decades earlier, he finally came home to complete the 28 remaining years of his sentence.

Feneligiz Cunumplegeanagonos, as they say (although not very easily) in parts of Argentina to Jimmy Ruffin, 68; Thelma Houston, 61 and Matt Helders – drummer with the Arctic Monkeys (22). May 7 is a good day for musicians because Johannes Brahms and Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky were both born (in 1833 and 1840 respectively). And let us not forget Kitty Godfree, who first saw the light of day on this date in 1896 and went on to win the Olympic gold medal for tennis in 1920 – the last notable success of any British tennis player. Finally, acclaimed ‘actress’ Traci Lords was born in 1968 – but shame on any of you who know who she is.