Golf Central

On leap day in 1916, the sultry-voiced singing starlet of the 1940s and '50s Dinah Shore was born in Tennessee, and in addition to her entertainment career Shore became a key figure in the popularisation of ladies golf and founded the Kraft Nabisco Championship, one of the LPGA's four majors.

A huge solo success in a time which also featured Doris Day and Patti Page, Shore was also known for a string of romantic involvements: she was married to popular actor George Montgomery but was linked to Frank Sinatra, Gene Krupa, James Stewart, US General George Patton, and Burt Reynolds. But Dinah, who died of cancer in 1994, was a keen golfer and is best known for founding the LPGA major that still unofficially bears her name ...

What's the story?: Looks like they're playing for the George McNeill Award this week ...
Who's George McNeill? That's exactly my point. McNeill is the 33-year-old US pro that was so obscure when he won the Frys.com Open, the IGWT editor wrote a memorable caption: "Not even I know who I am" ...
So, who are these Joes?: Can't say I know too much. That's why they hand out these European Tour media guides at these things.
OK, I've heard of Adam Scott ...: Of course, but the Aussie chick magnet is the highest-ranked player in the top five right now. He's on 8-under, but Adam's not getting any IGWT karma or love until he does his Me Myself & I interview like a good lad.
See what you mean. So who are these guys at 10-under leading the way?: Shiv Kapur and Unho Park are ranked No. 270 and 513 in the world, respectively. Kapur's a local boy and Park is a Korean-Australian.
And after them?: Well, at 9-under are Taichiro Kiyota of Japan (No. 474) and India's Jyoti Randhawa, who's No. 77. There are four guys at 8-under: Scott, Spaniard José Manuel Lara, and Englishmen Phillip Archer and Graeme Storm.
Any of the other Brits have a chance?: Well, there's Richard "Finchy" Finch at 7-under ...
I've heard of him ...: Yeah. Not sure he's qualified for the George McNeill Award ... See ya tomorrow!

This looks more like a European Tour event than the European Tour event!: I know what you mean. The Johnnie Walker in India is being overrun by obscure Asian Tour players. This is meant to be the start of the Florida swing, but we've got quite a Euro flavour ...
Maybe that playing on two tours thing actually might work ...: We'll see. But right now, Luke Donald looks good. The High Wycombe man shot a 6-under 64, which is the lowest round since Padraig Harrington shot 2005 at the Honda.
Sounds like he's got his game in order then after the Match Play ...: Well, not really, but we can only hope. Luke drove it all over the shop, missing five straight fairways on the back nine, but he scrambled like a madman and there you go ... 64.
What did Luke have to say about that?: He said "Golf's just a tough game sometimes", which is a nice thing to be able to say when you're leading a tournament.
Amen to that ... I see another Englishman here too ...: Yep. Islington man Brian Davis is second at 5-under, followed by the skinny Aussie Matt Jones at 4-under. There are a host of guys on 3, including Ernie Els, who gets to play for more than one day after his early exit at the Match Play.
Any other stories?: Yep. Jesper Parnevik turned up looking a bit lighter. A week after we were raving about the quality of food in Mexico's Maya country, Jesper came back with horror stories about a stomach bug he picked up at the Mayakoba Classic.
Montezuma's Revenge? How'd he get that?: Everyone knows you don't drink the water in Mexico, except Jesper. He said he drank out of a dirty glass. Hasn't been able to eat solid food since Saturday and lost 11 pounds.
He can't afford to lose 11 pounds!: I know, but the skinny Jesper is four shots back after a 68.
Now he can get himself back into shape with some "real" Mexican food in Florida ...: They don't have "real" Mexican food in Mexico, pal ...

I've got that Travis song stuck in my head ... "Singh Singh Singh" ...: Ah, you've been looking at the leaderboard too much. Well this is India ...
Yes and almost all the players are named Singh. Who's low Singh after Round 1?: Believe it or not, it's not Vijay. Jeev Milkha is low Singh at 4-under, followed by Arjun at 3-under and Vijay and Digvijay at minus-2.
I'm surprised Vijay wasn't blinded by the light ...: You're right. He played today with Ian Poulter, who was described as looking like a cross between a 70's disco dude and a Belisha beacon by Iain Carter of BBC Sports.
Maybe he blinded himself ... 4-over isn't the greatest start ...: Nope. And Colin Montgomerie's trying to fight his way into the Masters, but he's off slowly as well at 2-over. But there might be some room at the top of the leaderboard if some of these Singhs get out of the way ...
Speaking of which, who is at the top?: Local boy Shamim Khan, who is the lowest-ranked player in the field, is tied with Argentina's hot-and-cold Daniel Vancsik at 5-under, with a pack of 11 guys a stroke behind chasing them, including Aussie stud Adam Scott and South Africa's young star James Kamte. England's Mark Foster is the low Brit.
How's the local knowledge paying off?: Pretty good so far. There are nine Indian players in the top 25 right now, including Khan, the world No. 1377, and Gaurav "Don't Call Me Brian" Ghei ...
Do you expect them to last?: Not if Ian Poulter walks past them ...

On this day in 1991, Paul Azinger showed his amazing talent for attracting controversy when he was spotted on television moving some stones with his foot as he addressed a shot in a water hazard in the first round of the Doral-Ryder Open.

And alert television viewer phoned in to PGA Tour headquarters in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, and after reviewing the tapes, the tour officials disqualified 'Zinger for signing an incorrect scorecard by not penalising himself two shots under Rule 13-4 (c): touching or moving a loose impediment in a hazard. 'Zinger, who is serving as the US Ryder Cup team's captain this year, claimed to not know anything about the rule, which may be true ... but we'll never know ...