Golf Central

In the real world, Henry VIII became king of England on this day in 1509, while it was also a momentous day in the history of this very fragment of cyberspace, as US Congress approved the use of the phrase 'In God We Trust' on US coins on this day in 1864. Feel free to suggest what the alternatives might have been had we not been in the position to crack our lame, yet endearing pun. On second thoughts, don't bother...

Meanwhile, it's brigo! as they say in Syria to Deane Beman (70). One of the architects of modern tournament golf,  Beman was a great player - US Amateur Champion in 1960 and '63 and a four-times winner on The PGA Tour. He is best-known, however, for his authoritative role as commissioner of The PGA Tour between 1974 and '94.

It's also the birthday of keen golfer and owner of the most disconcerting smiles on the planet Jack Nicholson (71), underrated country singer Glen Campbell (72) and Eastenders actress inexplicably-turned Hollywood starlet Michelle Ryan. It would have been the 138th birthday of Communist revolutionary Vladimir Lenin and the 104th birthday of nuclear physicist Robert Oppenheimer had they not bit the dirt long, long ago...