We Sing (Solus)
Ten Brits to Watch at London 2012
Maverick (The Ultimate Westerns Collection)
Father’s Day finale at the Olympic Club
This year’s US Open at the Olympic Club, San Francisco, is set to reach its climax on Sunday, 17th June, unless there is a tied final hole, when, unlike the other three Majors, an extra 18-hole round on Monday is played to determine the eventual winner.
That scenario does not happen too often; in fact, it has occurred just three times since 1985, most recently, when Tiger Woods gained a dramatic victory over Rocco Mediate at Torrey Pines, three years ago.
Wherever the US Open is staged, each golfer knows that there is no room for error in such a competitive event, and immense concentration is needed just to get around the course in par even.
Just four men in the tournament’s history have achieved the feat of completing all four rounds under-par: Lee Trevino, in 1968, Tony Jacklin, in 1970, Lee Janzen, 23 years later, Curtis Strange, who 12 months after that, had the misfortune to see Ernie Els deny him victory, and finally Rory Mcllroy, last year.
The Northern Irishman’s feat was only one of a number of records that he broke at Congressional, on the way to a staggering 16-under par round. On the way, he proceeded to post the lowest score for 36 and 54 holes, and at one point was 17 under-par, another record.
One record that he did not manage to break, or even equal, however, was that of the lowest score for 18 holes. That number is 63 and is co-held by four players: Johnny Miller, Jack Nicklaus, Tom Weiskopf, and Vijay Singh, so there is room for improvement from the young genius.
Just to stop him getting complacent, as well, should he read this article, the largest margin of victory in the US Open is 15 strokes, achieved by Tiger Woods at Pebble Beach, in 2000. That, incidentally, is the biggest margin and all-time record in any of the four Majors to date.
Woods is the favourite in the open odds to take the gold at this year’s Championship.
Olympic Boxing
At London 2012, history will be made in the boxing ring, as women’s events will be included for the first time.
There are thirteen medals up for grabs in all – ten for the men at different weights, and three for the women at fly (51kg) light (60kg) and middle weight (75kg).
Olympic boxing competitions always throw up some quirky stories. Here are a few to whet the appetite for London 2012:
America’s Eddie Eagen won a light-heavyweight boxing gold in Antwerp-1920. Twelve years later, he won another Olympic gold, but this time at the winter Olympics, in bobsledding. He remains the only person in history to have won a gold medal in both summer and winter Olympic sports.
Paul Gonzales of the USA took gold in the Light Flyweight competition in his home-town of Los Angeles, in 1984. Caught up in gang warfare, he was charged with murder when just 15, but was able to prove he had been boxing at the time. His witness was policeman Al Stankie who persuaded Gonzales to take up boxing after seeing him in a street fight five years earlier.
After he took gold in the 1932 bantamweight event, Canada’s Horace – “Lefty” – Gwyne offered to endorse his favourite drink ‘Vi-tone’ but was turned down flat by the makers. Times have certainly changed!
Arnoldo Pares of Argentina was found to be overweight at the weigh-in to the opening bout of the bantamweight contest at London, in 1948. His team cut off all his hair, towelled him down, and scrubbed his feet, but he was still over and inconsolable. The Argentineans protested, and an investigation found the scales to be wrong. He was knocked out in the second round.
Britain’s Richard Gunn won gold in the 1908 Olympics Featherweight event at 37. He now holds the record as the oldest-ever gold medal-winning boxer.
Best mates, John fields and Joseph Salas, both Americans, had to fight each other in the final of the 1924 featherweight event. In the dressing room before the bout, they started to cry and hugged each other. Fields was so upset at having won that he cried again after the bout.
During the 1936 lightweight contest, South African, Thomas Hamilton-Brown, lost his opening fight on points. However, it was found that a judge had made a mistake and that Hamilton-Brown had actually won the fight. By the time his trainer found him, later that night, the distraught fighter had gone on an eating binge to ease his disappointment, and had put on 5 pounds. He was overweight for the competition.
When Sugar Ray Leonard took gold in the 1976 Light Welterweight event, he had photographs of his girlfriend and their son pinned to his socks.
At Seoul in 1988, two boxing rings were used. The end of a round in one was signalled by a buzzer, the other by a bell. In one fight, both the referee and Chun of South Korea got it mixed up and American Todd Foster hit Chun with a big left hook! Eventually, the match was ordered to be re-fought and Foster won, before losing to eventual silver medallist, Cheney, of Australia.
Visit http://betting.betfair.com/betting/2012-olympics/ for more information on betting on 2012 Olympics.
Taylors Sky the Favourite Again
The opening heats of the 2012 Greyhound Derby get underway on Friday from Wimbledon.
Last year, Taylors Sky broke the track record, when clocking 28.17 to win the English Classic for Charlie Lister for the second consecutive year. It was his sixth success in the contest as a trainer. He went off as the 7/4 market leader in the greyhound betting, and sent home favourite backers delighted with a stunning performance.
The 2011 Greyhound of the Year is the ante-post favourite to repeat his success in the famous race once again. He won 12 out of his 17 races in the calendar year, before picking up the award, and is the one they all have to beat once again.
Taylors Sky warmed up recently by winning the Derby Trial over 480 metres, earlier in the month, with a time of 28.55 in his four length victory. He didn’t break from the boxes well but soon recovered to get on terms and stretch the field.
Ireland’s leading hope this year is Razldazl Jayfkay, who has been supported in the last few weeks for the top prize of them all. He last ran back in March, in an Open race at Wimbledon, where he won by just over four lengths ahead of Shelbourne Geoff.
Two dogs that will not be participating now, this year, are Meadow Bank Owl and El Clive. They have both been withdrawn from the first round heats, on Saturday evening. In all there are 22 races, as the competition begins to narrow down the entries, with the final taking place on May 26.
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