A great sporting weekend

This is one of my favourite sporing weekends showcasing the final 2 days of the Open and the culmination of the Tour.

I remember in 1989 staying this weekend with a sporting family in Suffolk.

Greg Norman contrived to lose the Open in a play off to Mark Calcavecchia, the Great White Shark was unlucky not to won more Majors, losing the Masters to a Larry Mize pitch well off the green.

The final day of the Tour in Paris was not the normal ceremonial procession but a time trial. Greg Lemond wore a new aerodynamic helmet now in common use, hunched his head over the bars and went for it beating Laurent Fignon. We could not decide which to watch.

Nothing can stop Chris Froome now but can Jordan Spieth blow up on the back nine as he did at Amed Corner on ther Masters?

I doubt it. Beneath his humility and pleasant social manner you can see a glint of steel in his eyes. His putting between 8 and 12 feet is back to its lethal metronomic best, the only weakness might be off the tee with the big stick should the winds get up.

Of the chasing pack one feels Matt Kuchar yet to win a Major will be satisfied with the prize money of finishing runner up. Whilst we must congratulate Branden Stone on his record breaking 62, one must not forget par is 70 and his round -8. Golfers have carded a -9 in a Major. I had a late tickle on Jordan Spieth after Bob Bubka talked up his chances on Talksport.

Betting wise the Tour has not been kind to me. I had Fabio Aru each way but he was dropped in the Alps. On the Col d’Izuard I neglected to follow Racing Post‘s recommendation of Barguil winning at 14-1.

The Sky team with Michal Kwiatkowski and Mikel Landa more than deputising for Geraint Thomas are formidable but Sir Dave Bailsford needs to be more forthcoming on the jiffy bag and the Bradley Wiggins medication. Until he does, the sport will remain tarnished.