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What is the lowest single round in men’s major championship golf?

For the best part of four-and-a-half decades, the record for the lowest single round in men’s major championship was 63, set by American Johnny Miller in the final round of the US Open at Oakmont Country Club in 1973. In a remarkable display of ball striking, on one of the toughest golf courses in the world, Miller birdied the first four holes, three-putted the par-3 eighth hole for bogey and made five further birdies on the back nine for his eight-under-par total. In so doing, he made up a six-shot deficit on the overnight leaders, which included compatriot Arnold Palmer, to win by a single shot.

Over the years, many other players shot 63 in a major championship, but 62 remained elusive. That was, of course, until July 21, 2017, when South African Branden Grace finally achieved the feat in the third round of the Open Championship at Royal Birkdale. Having made the cut by a single shot, on four over par, Grace birdied the opening hole, followed by the fourth, fifth, eighth and ninth, to make the turn in a five-under-par total of 29. He made further birdies on the fourteenth, sixteenth and seventeenth and, with no bogeys on his card, came home in a three-under-par total of 33, for a record-breaking eight-under-par aggregate of 62. Despite his heroics in the third round, there was to be no fairytale ending for Grace; in the fourth and final round, he shot a level-par 70 to finish tied sixth, eight strokes behind wire-to-wire winner, Jordan Spieth.

What is the highest scoreline in Premier League history?

Formerly the First Division of the Football League, the Premier League was established in 1992 and, in the interim, eight different teams have been involved in matches that produced ten, or more, goals. Interestingly, the first of them, chronologically, was also the highest-scoring Premier League game of all time.

The fixture in question took place between Portsmouth and Reading at Fratton Park, Portsmouth on September 29, 2007, and produced eleven goals, with an injury time own-goal from English international centre-back Sol Campbell taking the final score to 7-4 in favour of the home team. Just two minutes earlier, also in injury time, central midfielder Suleyman ‘Sulley’ Muntari – signed by Portsmouth, for a club record fee, earlier that season – had scored a penalty to effectively put the result beyond doubt. Zimbabwean international striker Benjamin Mwaruwari, popularly known as ‘Benjani’, had earlier completed a seventieth-minute hat-trick. Despite his side conceding seven goals, Reading manager Steve Coppell said later afterwards that the match ‘must have been great for the impartial observer.’

Elsewhere in Premier League history, Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester United and Arsenal have all been involved in two ten-goal thrillers apiece. Tottenham beat subsequently relegated Reading 6-4 on December 29, 2007, and Wigan 9-1 on November 22, 2009, Manchester United beat Arsenal 8-2 on August 28, 2011, and drew 5-5 with West Bromwich Albion on May 19, 2013, while Arsenal also beat Newcastle 7-3 on December 29, 2012.

What is a Garryowen?

Not to be confused with American stand-up comedian Gary Owen, ‘Garryowen’ is a rugby union term used to describe a high, tactical kick, otherwise known as an ‘up-and-under’. Garryowen is Gaelic for ‘Eóin’s Garden’, but its use to describe a rugby manoeuvre derives from the name of Garryowen Football Club, or Garryowen, for short, in Limerick, Ireland. Historically, one of the most successful clubs in Irish rugby union, Garryowen FC won the Munster Senior Cup three years running between 1924 and 1926, executing the tactic on each occasion.

Although there are risks involved, the Garryowen is an attacking tactic. The aim is to kick underneath the ball, so that it travels as high in the air as possible, rotating end over end, without covering any great distance. Correctly executed, the Garryowen allows attacking players enough time to chase down the kick, arrive in numbers and compete for the ball as it descends from the heavens.

Of course, it is entirely possible that a defending player can safely win back possession, but catching a high ball is often touch-and-go, especially in the face of opposing players, in potentially wet and/or windy conditions. Consequently, the risk of losing possession is mitigated by putting the defending team under pressure, which can lead to handling errors, infringements and scoring opportunities for the attacking team.

Was George Foreman the hardest-punching heavyweight champion in history?

Of course, no hard-and-fast, empirical evidence exists for comparing the punching power of George Foreman with, say, Mike Tyson, or any other heavyweight champion in history. However, former undisputed heavyweight champion Evander Holyfield, who fought both men, including a 42-year-old, 275lb Foreman in the so-called ‘Battle of the Ages’ in 1991, called ‘Big George’ the hardest puncher he ever faced.

Famously an ‘arm’ puncher, who threw punches from the shoulder without putting his body weight behind them, Foreman was, nonetheless, blessed with immense physical strength and fearless constitution, which more than compensated for what he lacked in speed, stamina and technical prowess. Indeed, in his early years, Foreman was probably the most intimidating puncher in the history of boxing.

Foreman first won the world heavyweight title against ‘Smokin’’ Joe Frazier in the so-called ‘Sunshine Showdown’ in Jamaica in 1973. In a devastating performance, Foreman punched Frazier from pillar-to-post, knocking the hitherto undefeated, undisputed champion down six times before winning by technical knockout after 1 minute 35 seconds of the second round. Foreman retired for the first time in 1977, but returned to the ring a decade later at the age of 38; seven years later, he became the oldest heavyweight champion in his history when, at the age of 45, he knocked out another hitherto undefeated champion, Michael Moorer, in the tenth round of the so-called ‘One for the Ages’ in Nevada with a clean, short right hand.

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