With the excitement of the British Open and the heartbreak of Brit golfing sensation Lee Westwood’s nail biting second place finish over and done with, many golf fans are now turning to another golfing hero for inspiration.

Nottinghamshire born Lee Westwood finished second to Louis Oosthuizen in the British Open at St Andrews – his fourth top three finish in a major.

Meanwhile a new biography of another British golfing idol is taking up the spotlight – the story of the world famous, amongst golfing circles at any rate, Maurice Flitcroft – dubbed the world’s worst golfer and for good reason.

The Phantom of the Open: Maurice Flitcroft, the World’s Worst Golfer by Scott Murray and Simon Farnaby details the life of the legendary Maurice Flitcroft, an audacious and frankly quite terrible amateur golfer who conned his way into the British Open on more than one occasion, with increasingly ludicrous disguises, whilst notching up the worst scores in the history of high profile British golf.

Such has been its tremendous reception, the biog published by Yellow Jersey Press, has already sold out on Amazon.

Flitcroft, a shipyard crane driver from Barrow-in-Furness, with no golfing skills whatsoever, decided at a mature age he wanted to be a golfer and play with the best.

He had been playing golf for 18 months on local fields in Cumbria and was already banned from every local course when he conned his way into the prequalifying rounds for the 1976 British Open.

His terrible hacking drew attention from the crowds, authorities and the professionals and he was banned from the competition.

Maurice Flitcroft was rumbled when he carded a 49 overpar 121. The professional playing partners demanded their entry fees be returned when they realised the farce that was happening.

The Royal and Ancient club which runs the game subsequently banned Flitcroft from the Open for life and tightened the entrance rules. However, he got into qualifying rounds several more times, using disguises and pseudonyms, including such ridiculous monikers as ‘James Beau Jolley’.

With lots of media coverage in the seventies and eighties rather than being seen as a cad to the wider public he became a folk hero of sorts among golfing circles and had golf trophies named after him, usually for terrible play.

In 1988 Blythefield Country Club in Grand Rapids, Michigan, renamed one of its competitions the Maurice G. Flitcroft Member-Guest Tournament.

Maurice Flitcroft was born on November 23, 1929 and died from a lung infection in 2007, aged 77.

He is fondly remembered by all who knew him as one of life’s great eccentrics; as well as a golfing hero by amateur golfers the world over who admired his bare faced check and never say die attitude. Many amateur golfers seemed to identify with his ability to never somehow master the game.

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The world is preparing for a feast of football with Spain and Holland ready to meet in the final of the World Cup this Sunday evening.

Billions of people are set to tune into the World Cup final, televised in the UK at 7.30pm, as Spain and Holland, two of the most stylish and admired international teams go head to head for the globe’s most coveted sporting trophy during its most watched event.

The World Cup final really is the greatest shared international event, turning the entire planet into a global village for 90 minutes as millions of fans in every country in the world tune in to watch the most talented players juggle a ball across that green baize.

It is worth noting, aside from the sporting spectacle on display that football in the vast majority of cases shows us, as it has in these World Cup finals, its ability to unite and bring people together all over the world in a way that few occasions outside sport can.

With no trouble or conflict between fans reported in South Africa this summer, and generally speaking, apart from one or two exceptions, a commitment to fair play both on the pitch as well off it, the World Cup finals, like other great sporting events such as the Olympics, shows us how the world can be a great big family, united in friendship and leisure, coming together to share in the same activity, having respect for each other, while at the same time celebrating the individuality of different nations.

Global interest in this year’s World Cup finals, which sadly for many ardent football fans only comes around every four years, has been more intense than ever – with interest in Africa, Asia and North America growing to new epic proportions that might even one day rival the passion and popularity for football that exists in its home of England and throughout Europe.

In Africa and around the world on Sunday hundreds and thousands of people will be gathered around every available TV screen in bars, and in outdoor locations specially created for the game, to watch the 2010 World Cup final; while there will also be an eerie silence on the streets of many football mad countries as millions are glued to the screen, not least Spain and Holland, and perhaps, especially Spain, where football fans have waited for so long to reach a World Cup final.

Yes, it’s the dream final that everyone was hoping for, the two great maestros of European football: Holland and Spain, and two of the greatest underachievers in international football. Holland, regarded as the best team never to win the World Cup have consistently been at the forefront of stylish and dazzling creative play since the 1970s – when they produced one of the world’s all time greatest stars in Johan Cruyff, mentioned in the same breath as George Best, Pele and Maradona; and a tantalisingly brilliant team which reached two World Cup finals in 1974 and 1978 only to be beaten by host nations West Germany and then Argentina.

Arguably, the 1974 Holland team, or more accurately The Netherlands National Football Team, was the greatest and certainly the most stylish of all time. Since then Holland have regularly produced teams that were talented beyond belief, winning the European Championships in 1988, but somehow have failed to reach a World Cup final again, that is until this year.

Similarly Spain have often flattered to deceive, Spain being one of the most technically talented leagues in the world for several decades now, regularly producing virtuoso players, somehow they tend to have stumbled when the national team has reached the World Cup finals stage.

Often described as powder puff football – pretty to watch but lacking hard substance – that now has been put right – the current European champions, Spain have playmakers and attacking options all over the pitch; but also a fearsome defence which when you put it all together makes them the slight favourites for this year’s World Cup final.

Not that Holland will be pushovers; the closely balanced nature of this match makes it ever the more mouth-watering for football fans around the world.

Despite some dodgy refereeing decisions – a disallowed goal that should have been, perhaps costing England a change to progress much further in the competition, in the case of their knockout game against Germany; and a few cases of bad sportsmanship here and there (tut, tut – you know who you are) it really has been a fantastic finals, with some great intriguing and all out entertaining matches on display; and plenty of thunderous goals from long range.

Many feel that the final cannot disappoint such is the talent on display: Villa, Robben, Torres and Van Persie, et al, two great teams who like to play attacking football.

In fact two great teams playing football the way it should be played, all set to bring the beautiful game to life once more. The way both Holland and Spain like to entertain with one touch football, with so much movement and creativity on display, we simply cannot wait. Bring it on. The World Cup Final 2010.

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After England’s disgraceful knock out game against Germany on Sunday, there have been calls for an inquiry into the England teams abysmal performance in this year’s World Cup. David Davies, the former FA executive director has called for the inquiry, asking for the players workload and domestic games to be looked into.

England has not won a significant tournament since the World Cup in 1966. In the last forty four years the team has only reached one semi final, at Italia ’90, when once again they were defeated on penalties by arch rivals Germany. The 4-1 defeat on Sunday was England’s worst ever in a World Cup and the fact that it was against Germany, only added insult to injury. Even if the disallowed goal had been given, they still would have fallen flat on their faces.

Speaking on the subject Mr. Davies said, “If we’re to achieve success on the international stage then we need to look closely at what we are asking players to do in their domestic season. This isn’t life or death but there are definite things wrong with English football that need serious consideration – most notably the amount of football that English players have to play every season.”

Many England fans will be asking similar questions. We are meant to have a so called ‘world class’ team and what we’ve seen this tournament has simply been an embarrassment. After all, football is meant to be our national sport and with the amount of money spent on the players, it would be nice to actually win something!

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Newport is getting a revamp in preparation for the Ryder Cup coming to town in October. The golf tournament has got the Welsh town buzzing and is sure to pump in some much needed revenue, when the likes of Tiger Woods and Lee Westwood make their appearance.

The Ryder Cup will be the second tournament being held in Wales this year, with this weekend playing host to The Wales Open. Jim McKenzie, the course director is understandably excited. He said, “The Ryder Cup is said to be the third largest sporting event in the world in terms of its global audience, behind the Olympics and the football World Cup in that order, neither of which Wales or the South West of England is ever going to host, so this is if you like the Welsh Olympics.”

“This is a one-off opportunity for Wales and the Welsh people to show the world who they are, what they’ve got to give, and what they are capable of.” He continued.

Money is being spent all around the city, £2 billion to be exact. Newport Unlimited, a fund consisting of both public and private monies, is financing the event. In the city’s main square they have a clock on count down, the old train station is being overhauled, the university is getting an upgrade, as are Newport’s sporting facilities.

The local council is calling it “a city in transition” and they would be right. The financial gains for the city as well as the feel good factor are definitely giving the Newport a well-needed boost.

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Are you suffering from CWFTWCF (Cannot Wait For The World Cup Finals) to begin syndrome?

For football fans who cannot wait for the World Cup finals to get underway and are chomping at the bit to cheer on their team and mentally kick every ball with the players, a great solution to your predicament has been pioneered by those helpful guys at Fantasy Football World Cup, a new online fantasy football game, delivered by the reputable folk at Progressive Digital Media Group.

To join in the fun you need to visit the site to register a team at fantasyfootballworldcup.co.uk, what’s more a very football friendly prize of 1,428 cans of beer or a PlayStation 3 plus Fifa World Cup 2010 PS3 Game plus Widescreen TV or a cash alternative of £800 is available on registration courtesy of a prize draw.

This prize draw is run by Progressive Digital Media Group Plc in conjunction with the website Fantasy Football World Cup, a great new online fantasy football site dedicated to world cup fans.

If World Cup fantasy football and the chance of free beer or a widescreen TV and other prizes sound good, you need to head over to www.fantasyfootballworldcup.co.uk for more information.

With the choice of either public or private mini leagues to enter teams for there is a good choice of world cup style tournaments to get involved with; as well as those fantastic prizes to win just for joining.

Fantasy Football World Cup’s Rav Sandhu says:

“Here at Fantasy Football World Cup we are simply inviting fans to join our free site and join in the fun with football fans from around the globe or with their own group of teams.

“The Fantasy Football World Cup competition starts on Friday 11th June 2010, the same day as the real World Cup 2010 finals in South Africa begins; and runs until the end of the real World Cup finals on Sunday July 12, following a competition consisting of 7 rounds.

“You simply pick a team of players from the outstanding players of the World Cup and let your players do their stuff.

“There is no limit to the amount of players you can pick from a club and what’s more on registering you will be entered into our amazing prize draw.”

Promoters of the site say you must be 18 to register for the Fantasy Football World Cup competition and be eligible for the free prize draw competition of free beer, Sony PlayStation, Widescreen TV or cash prize. It’s also free to register for the Fantasy Football World Cup game.

Use of the Fantasy Football World Cup website is only open to UK consumers aged 16 years and over.

The Fantasy Football World Cup site has also got loads of great stuff for the football enthusiast online including a fans forum and a page dedicated to the best free online footy games.

World Cup fever is building and soon we will be cheering for our favourite teams in South Africa. As the World Cup begins in South Africa on 11th of June, why not partake in your own fantasy version while cheering on your beloved team whether it be England or Argentina, Brazil or USA, Australia or the Ivory Coast?

It really is a mouth-watering prospect to look forward to with 64 exciting football games and the best players on the planet competing to show who has the more dazzling skills, while the coaches do battle to outwit each other with their team selections and tactics, and that’s just the Fantasy Football version!

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With just 18 days to go to the launch of the World Cup, football fans up and down the country will be readying themselves for what promises to be an exciting football extravaganza and no doubt setting the worlds to right on the  what tactics they’d employ if they were England manager.

To celebrate the competition, Progressive Digital Media are launching a FREE world cup fantasy football league website, aptly named Fantasy Football World Cup. Unlike many other fantasy football competitions, entry is free and you can set-up private leagues with no limit to the number of members who can join. so that you can do battle with your mates at no cost. What’s more the site is offering a range of prizes to a lucky winner who is able to pick a winning squad.

So if you are bored of listening to your mates spout on about what team they would play in the World Cup and tired of watching England managers making the same mistakes or maybe you think you are the next John Motson, then take a few minutes to register at the site (http://www.fantasyfootballworldcup.co.uk/index.php)and you’ll be in with a chance of winning beer for an entire year for you and five mates or alternatively an LCD TV, Playstation 3 and FIFA World Cup 2010 game.

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