Last Day of the Ryder Cup Ballot

I've just woken up the fact that its the last day to sign up for The Ryder Cup ballot for next year’s contest in Wales. It closes at midnight tonight, Friday, July 31 (BST).

Go to www.rydercup.com/tickets to sign up for the ballot, which will take place early next month.

Better get on with it.

JohnD

Czech Open

Jay has been racking up the Air Miles this year - he's done 249,000 miles to date - and he's only just half way through. We used to call Jay Townsend our US Golf Correspondent, but the truth of the matter is that he's really becoming our Global Golf correspondent, as this week he's in the Czech Republic, reporting on the Moravia Silesia Open, at the Prosper Golf Resort.

It's an event I can say without fear of contradiction, that I have never been to.

News from the course is that the Argentine Tano Goya is leading at 6 under going through 15, and that Oliver Fisher has retired injured with a +7.

I think Tim has Oliver Fisher in his fantasy 5 Ball, so he will be narked.

JohnD

Getting in the Golf

This is turning out to be a proper golf week. 9 holes today at Haywards Heath Golf Club, which is always a tricky track - tight and hard to score on. Never mention the insecticide incident to them is my only word of advice. Damaged a couple of fairways last year, and made the national press. It's all better now though.

Then it's up to Lindfield Golf Course for a round on Friday and another one on Sunday. Lindfield is the home of The Golf College, where you can get some A levels under your belt and learn how to be a pro. Not an option I had in my youth - lucky bleeders.

Think it's time I unleashed my swing on a largely unsuspecting world. So look out on Show Me The Golf' UGC page for a swing that will make Furyk orthodox.

Senior Open Finish

A fine 67 from Sam to take him to fifth and now a play off on the 18th at Sunningdale. Fred Funk's out, so McNulty and Roberts are battling it out. McNulty has just missed to the left and Roberts has a very makeable putt. And he's missed it.....tried to steer it in. He'll be kicking himself for weeks after that one. McNulty now as a missable one....and phew it's in. So it's back to the 18th hole again. Third time lucky.

JohnD - live from the sofa.

Fred The Funk

Day two at Sunningdale, and Fred the Funk has been busy putting together a pair of tidy rounds - a 64 and a 65. A run of 18 putts for 12 holes on Thursday set him off in the right direction. And then yesterday he completed his round with an eagle on the par 4 18th - a very rare event for this hole. It's 420 yards, up-hill to a green that cannot be seen from the fairway. Funk hit an 8 iron in from about 170 yards, and that was that. Job done. No wonder he's 11 under par with that kind of a performance.

Sam had, in the words of John Hopkins of The Times, an 'enchanting' round. The Show Me The Golf team are hoping that he can keep the enchantment going, and take out Funk with a spell as well.

JohnD

Sam's in there

A bit of local knowledge, great form, and massive appetite and hey presto Sam is right in there with at 7 under. Fred Funk is still out in front with a 4 shot lead, but with two days to go and Sam's inside take on everything Sunningdale and you'd have to be hopeful. His delightful Manager, Vicky Cummings, warned us that Sam was totally up for winning this. And now I'm asking myself why I didn't put down that fiver at 25-1. Doh....

The Letterman Show and Stewart Cink

On the Letterman Show on Tuesday they ran a spoof feature entitled: 'Top ten surprising things about Stewart Cink.' And the number one item was the admission by Cink, the new Open Champion, that "even I wanted Tom Watson to win." What a top man. Just going to sort out the link. It will be on Show Me The Golf shortly......But if you can't wait....try this....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FsvB9_j0V3U