Tom Watson master of the wind

Tom Watson, 60, has won 8 majors, including 5 (British) Open championships in a 9 year span between 1975-1983. Last summer he _nearly_ completed one of the greatest ever feats in sport when he came 2nd in the British Open at Turnberry. He needed a par on the last hole to win but his second shot went over the green.

Tom Watson showed his mastery of windy conditions once more last week in Dubai, he tied the best score of the week, 68, in coming 8th in the Dubai Desert Classic. Rory McIlroy, 21, came 6th.

Can McIlroy pull it out of the fire?

Moving to a sport about as far removed from professional football in every respect. Where cheating is just about unheard of, and players are known to call penalties on themselves as a matter of course. Rory McIlroy leads the European Order of Merit going into the final tournament in Dubai, this weekend. He's had a real ding-dong battle with Lee Westwood this year, leapfrogging him to the top spot only last week. But a triple bogey finish in his 3rd round now leaves him 5 behind the "veteran" Westwood, going into the final round. It's not over, but certainly a long-shot now. It's still been an incredible season from the Co. Down man, earning over €2.5 m in 2009, having only turned pro 2 years ago. (He is 20 years younger than yours truly!). Incredibly, Harrington has only won the Order of Merit once in his career (2006). Before that, you have to go back to '89 for Ronan Rafferty's win. In between, Monty won 7 times in a row, then a 6 year gap to win it again the year before Harrington. Maybe Padraig - level with McIlroy in Dubai now - can do McIlroy a favour by reeling in Westwood, who is guaranteed the Order of Merit if he wins this tournament. The incentive to win the Race to Dubai? A cool €1m prize money to top off the season. Nice.

Irish Times report here

Ryder Cup 2008

Faldo's pairings! Can't see the US having a chance - even with the hotline to tiger - with 6 rookies.



Want to be a volunteer at Valhalla? That'll be $220: from guardian:

If nothing else the 2008 Ryder Cup will be remembered for redefining the meaning of "volunteer". This week will see 3,600 people guarding the cross-walks and putting greens of Valhalla, "Quiet Please" paddles in their hand, primed to pick up litter and tell hecklers to shut up - a "privilege" for which, it turns out, they have all paid $220 (£121). Volunteer? More like "paying lackey".