Golf Central

After winning those bucketfuls of silver dollars in Vegas, the ’64 Open champ-to-be would have celebrated with a bottle of Moët champagne – which coupled with his colourful quotes endeared him to the press (as we all know, golf journalists cannot resist free booze).

Also on this day in 1990, Ian Woosnam outlasted Mark McNulty and Jose Maria Olazabal to win the now-defunct Epson Grand Prix in Chepstow, Wales, en route to winning the second of his two Order of Merit titles.

It was grim news on this day in 1938, when PM Neville Chamberlain hopped off a plane from Munich after allowing Hitler to annex Sudetenland and proclaimed “Peace in Our Time”. And sad too in 1955, as Hollywood’s Rebel Without A Cause James Dean was killed when his Porsche crashed near Paso Robles, California.

On the lighter side, on September 30, 1994 Russian president Boris Yeltsin had another episode of “oversleeping”, failing to turn up for a meeting with Irish taoiseach Albert Reynolds.

And it’s Mi fresteri ju!, as they say in Surinamese, to LPGA veterans Vicki Fergon (52) and Kelly Robbins (38); foxy Swiss Miss of tennis Martina Hingis (27); Northern Ireland keeper Roy Carroll (30); wet-looked Barca gaffer Frank Rijkaard (45); 10-handicapper and silky crooner Johnny Mathis (72); and Nobel-winning Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel (79).

Well I suppose when Woody Austin falls into a lake on Day 2, that’s as entertaining as things are likely to get all week...: You’ve got that right.

So how did Aquaman and his US team-mates fare on Day 3?: Erm, swimmingly, as Woody might say. The Americans swept their morning matches on Saturday and only need three points from the 12 singles matches to win.

Sounds a bit predictable. Do the Canadian galleries have anything to look forward to today at all?: You can bet there will be some big crowds following Match No. 4.

What’s so special about that?: Well, the captains can arrange the draw in this event so Player and Nicklaus have matched up the local hero, Mike Weir, against some guy named Tiger Woods.

Do the Canadians like to try to wind up their American cousins?: Does the grizzly bear …

There’s that swooshing sound again...: Oh, swoosh this.

After Saturday’s four-balls: US leads the International Team 14½-7½

Saturday foursomes:

Steve Stricker & Hunter Mahan (US) vs Trevor Immelman & Rory Sabbatini (Int)

USA win 2-up

Phil Mickelson & Woody Austin (US) vs Retief Goosen & Stuart Appleby (Int)

USA win 5 & 4

Tiger Woods & Jim Furyk (US) vs Adam Scott & Ernie Els (Int)

USA win 4 & 3

Zach Johnson & David Toms (US) vs Nick O’Hern & Geoff Ogilvy (Int)

USA win 2 & 1

Lucas Glover & Scott Verplank (US) vs Vijay Singh & Mike Weir (Int)

USA win 2 & 1

Saturday four-balls:

Stewart Cink & Jim Furyk (US) vs Angel Cabrera & KJ Choi (Int)

USA win 1-up

Phil Mickelson & Woody Austin (US) vs Adam Scott & Retief Goosen (Int)

Match halved

Charles Howell III & Lucas Glover (US) vs Mike Weir & Ernie Els (Int)

Internationals win 4 & 2

Steve Stricker & Hunter Mahan (US) vs Vijay Singh & Stuart Appleby (Int)

Internationals win 1-up

Tiger Woods & David Toms (US) vs Nick O’Hern & Geoff Ogilvy (Int)

USA win 5 & 3

Swamp Thing Woody Austin emerged from his dip to birdie his last three holes

So what will we remember about Friday’s four-balls?: The International team made a storming comeback by winning four matches - but this will always be known as the day that Woody Austin achieved True Legend Status on YouTube.
Is that because Austin made eight birdies?: No, because of his not-so-swannish swan dive. Trying to hit his ball out of the water hazard on the 14th hole, Woody rolled up his trouser legs, swung, lost his balance on his follow-through, and did a twisting, face-first half-gainer into the pond.
That’s a great example for you young golfers about the perils of the reverse pivot…: Well, they’ve been saying Woody needs to chill out for a long time now.
Nice. So how did the Great White North’s favourite native son do?: Mike Weir played some brilliant golf alongside Ernie Els in helping the Internationals to a 3 & 1 win over Masters champ Zach Johnson and Charles Howell III, who did not have god on their side.
So what does the scoreboard behind the beer tent say now?: Well the Internationals narrowed their deficit to 7-5. Tiger Woods took his worst loss ever in team match play, thanks a lot to Vijay Singh, who was slam-dunking chips and bunker shots from everywhere. The big guy from Fiji now is 5-1-0 against Tiger in the President’s Cup.
Oh dear. If some other big fellas from Fiji get some inspiration from their countryman then Wales might be in trouble today in Nantes in the rugby…: What’s the matter, do you fear Vijay’s Fiji rugby voodoo mojo?
You could say that again...: Just give it a try. I dare you. Three times, really fast.