Golf Central

Unless he miraculously beats Jack Nicklaus' major record, Van De Velde will go to his grave as one of the biggest chokers in Open history. Needing only a double-bogey six at the 18th to win at Carnoustie in 1999, the Frenchman took a highly suspect route into the Barry Burn via knee deep rough. He eventually holed out for a triple-bogey seven to force a playoff... which he lost.

More Losers

Doug Sanders

A relatively quiet day in the world of golf, most notable for Byron Nelson victory in the Kentucky Open by three strokes over Melvin ‘Chick’ Harbert in 1943. Not being a sanctioned PGA Tour event, it’s not counted among Nelson’s phenomenal record of 52 tour wins and five Major victories. And his victory purse? A $1,000 war bond. Now that’s livin’ alright…

On this day in 1914 Babe Ruth made his debut in Major league baseball. Hitting averages and slugging percentages sound like boxing stats to us, but there is a fair argument to say that 'the Sultan of Swat' transcended his sport more than anyone of his era.

A ferocious left-handed hitter, two of his records still stand after his retirement 73 years ago and in 1999 he was voted as the third greatest US athlete of all time, behind Jordan and Ali. His style of play - that resulted in 714 career home runs - was also the catalyst in the change of baseball to a high-scoring power game.  

On a happier note, birthday felicitations to 1990 US Open champ, Mike Donald (50), saucy r&b jailbird Lil Kim (33), the inoffensively folksy Suzanne Vega (49),  former heavyweight champ Leon Spinks (55) and Italian fashion geezer Georgio Armani (74).

Ken Duke and Charlie Wi both shot six-under 65s to share the lead after the first round of the John Deere Classic. Unsurprisingly, Kenny Perry's sizzling run continues after he shot a 65 to jump into a tie for third with two other players.

IGWT tip Woody Austin is in with a shout after he opened with a 66 to plonk himself in the middle of a big pack tied for seventh. D.J Trahan finished at one-under, but our outside pick Ryan Palmer had an absolute 'mare, shooting a seven-over 78...

We reckon Thongchai Jaidee sounds like something you'd order at a Thai resteraunt, but he is in fact a golfer... and a bleedin' good one at that. Jaidee shot a seven- under par 64 at Loch Lomond yesterday for a share the lead with Sweden's Alexander Noren.

Angel Cabrera, John Bickerton, Niclas Fasth, Thomas Bjorn and Johan Edfors all find themseleves well in the mix after rounds in the mid 60s. The best of our picks was Colin Montgomerie on two-under, with Soren Hansen one behind. Ernie Els didn't really know whether he was coming or going, eventually carding a dissapointing one-over 72.