WHAT’S HOT WHAT’S NOT
HOT BERNHARD LANGER
IT WASN’T the German’s third British Senior Open victory that was so impressive, more the manner in which he won it. The early weather at Royal Porthcawl was so bad that the halfway cut mark came at +13 but Langer compiled rounds of 69-74-65-72 to finish at four under for the championship. Only one other player — second-placed Corey Pavin — broke par.
USAIN BOLT
WE SAY goodbye to a unique athlete in London this week and those with tickets for the 100m should savour every stride. However, agent Ricky Simms’s claim in the interesting I am Bolt film screened on BBC this week that only Muhammad Ali could rival the sprinter for unique status overlooked the other great icon of our times. Still nobody plays golf like Tiger.
TEST MATCH SPECIAL
HENRY BLOFELD may be on his way out but his legacy lives on. Not even Blowers himself could have wound up Geoffrey Boycott (right) live on air as well as Jonathan Agnew did at The Oval. Listening to Agnew convince Boycott his 100th career hundred was about to be scratched from the records made for priceless radio. If you missed it, Google will be your friend.
NOT GRAEME McDOWELL
IT IS seven years since McDowell won the US Open at Pebble Beach and recently his career curve has been taking him the wrong way. Having failed to qualify for The Open, he missed the cut by seven shots in Canada last weekend and is currently ranked outside the world’s top 100. McDowell has just turned 38 and has plenty of golf left in him. Equally, he has won just twice since 2013 and will play at this month’s USPGA by invite only.
JAMES KING
THE young defender didn’t recognise any of the Barrow players when he arrived in the dressing room for a trial match at Southport last weekend, which was hardly surprising given that the Cumbria team’s game was actually taking place 60 miles away at Stockport. King realised his mistake and managed to get there in time to come off the bench in the second half.
MESUT OZIL
THE Arsenal midfielder couldn’t train at full tilt this week, according to Arsene Wenger. Good to know the gifted but occasionally aimless German is already up to speed.