Golf Central

Woo! Child labour rocks!

Steve 'I'm back I am' Stricker is back, so he is. Chasing his first PGA victory in six years, Stricker's continued return to form has taken him to the top of the leaderboard heading into the final day. After an opening bogey he shot a 65, the second lowest score of the day to put him in pole position not only for the Barclays but for the FedEx Cup too.

Similarly, KJ Choi, who Stricker tees off with in the final round, is in second in both standings after a third day, one over par score of 70. Stricker lies at minus 13 for the tournament, IGWT pick Choi is at minus 12 while Hunter Mahan, who shot a course-record equalling 62 is one stroke further back on 12 under with Rich Beem.

Ross Fisher - Making Waves

David 'Get' Carter remains at the top of the leaderboard but is joined by compatriot Ross 'Carrie' Fisher and New Zealander, Steve 'Difficult to nickname' Alker. Carter carded a plus one round of 71 which included five bogeys and allowed the pair to catch up with him.

In an extremely open...Open, 21 players find themselves within four shots of the lead going in to the final day. In the closest chasing pack; Welshman Phillip Price finds himself alongside Ireland's David Higgins, France's Thomas Levet and home-crowd hero Joost Luiten of Bleiswijk.

IGWT tip Nick Dougherty remains in the hunt after a one below par round took him to minus five, Steve Webster has a lot to do at minus two and would need snookers to actually win the tournament.

No, of course you don't look silly....Mr Watson.

On this day, in 1979, Tom Watson beat Johnny Miller in a playoff to clinch his fifth title of the year, the Colgate Hall of Fame Tournament.

Everyone knows about Tom's eight career major wins and his 39 PGA Tour wins and we're all very impressed. Here are a few things however, that you may not know about Mr Tom Watson:

1. His middle name is 'Sturges'
2. He was named PGA Player of The Year six times, second only to Tiger Woods' seven times.
3. In 1991, he resigned from the Kansas City Country Club in protest over their exclusion of Jewish members.
4. He has a degree in psychology.
5. He has the power of laser vision but only uses it for evil.

Also on this day, in 55 BC, Julius Caesar invaded Britain. Not on his own obviously, he had an army do all the dirty work while he lounged around being fed grapes and fanned with giant leaves.

Meanwhile, in 1858, the first news dispatch by telegraph was transmitted. It read : “Queen Victoria proclaims colonies and wars 'great' (stop) Smoking found to increase brain power say scientists and tobacconists (stop) Cliff Richard at number one for second week running (stop).

It's Joffre Guerron! As they say in Ecuador, to; the surprisingly old Macauley Culkin (27), singer for the aptly named Garbage, Shirley Manson (41) and jazz legend, Branford Marsalis. It would also have been John Buchan's 132nd birthday if it wasn't for the stroke he suffered 67 years ago.

Choi began to regret taking the tube to the tournament

IGWT tip, KJ Choi, leads by two shots at the halfway stage, after a second round 66 which took him to 12 under. Rich 'Jesus doesn't want me for a sun' Beem, at minus eight, is on his own in second and had more than one reason to be cheerful as he croakily sang happy birthday to himself at the post-round press conference.

Rory Sabbatini's equal par round of 71 left him at eight under and dropped him back into tied third where he is joined by Steve Stricker and Geoff Ogilvy.

Of the other IGWT tips, Padraig Harrington lies at minus three while Trevor Immelman missed the cut after a disappointing round of plus seven to add to his one over first day score. Sort it out guys.

Woosnam: travels light

On this day, in 1996, Ian Woosnam won the German Open with a 20 under par, six shot victory over Robert Karlsson, Iain Pyman, Fernando Roca and Thomas Gogly.

Ian Harold Woosnam, one of the most famous Welsh golfers of all time, was actually born in Oswestry in England in 1958. He cut his teeth playing at the Llanymynech Golf Club which sits on the England/Wales border with holes in both countries.

Standing at only 5 ft 4 inches, Woosnam's powerful hitting belied his diminutive stature and helped him to 28 European Tour wins and 2 PGA Tour wins, including the 1991 Masters. 'Woosie' was a member of eight consecutive Ryder Cup teams from 1983 to 1997 and was captain of the succesful 2006 team.

Also on this day, in 1609, Galileo Galilei, demonstrates his first telescope to Venetian lawmakers. Venetian blinds were invented not long after, when the cheeky lawmakers noticed the open bathroom window over the road.

Meanwhile, in 1768, Captain James Cook, who discovered Australia, began his first voyage. Upon landing on the Eastern coastline of Oz, Cook immediately purchased a second-hand horse and cart and spent the next three months travelling the country, growing his hair and learning to surf.

It's Sulley Muntari! As they say in Ghana, to; Aston Villa 'star' Marlon Harewood, (28), uber-model Claudia Schiffer (37) and best Bond, Sean Connery (77).