GOLF / Digest: RYDER CUP CAPTAINCY: Nick Faldo has described it as "quite amazing" that just days before the meeting to decide Europe's next Ryder Cup captain he has not been formally asked to make his case. Faldo, Ian Woosnam and Sandy Lyle have voiced their interest in taking over from Bernhard Langer - and the European Tour players' committee are scheduled to announce their choice in Dubai next Wednesday.
It is expected to come down to Faldo or Woosnam, and the Welshman is seen as a clear favourite. But there is also the possibility that the one who is not appointed for the K Club near Dublin next year will be ear-marked for the 2008 match in America.
Faldo is happy to go along with that, but did have a comment to make about the decision-making process. "It's not a job you officially apply for - you just throw your name out in the wind," said the six-time major winner at the Accenture World Match Play Championship in California, where he is working as an analyst for American television company ABC.
"It's quite amazing that they have never called me in to sit with the committee and asked 'what are your plans?'" Faldo thinks the atmosphere next September for the first-ever match on Irish soil will be "sensational, fantastic" - and said he would love to lead Europe's defence of the trophy.
US TOUR: Mark Calcavecchia, Lucas Glover, Darron Stiles and Michael Allen shared the early lead of the Chrysler Classic of Tucson last night after shooting eight-under-par rounds of 64.
Carlos Franco was one shot back on seven under, while eight players - Aaron Uberholser, John Huston, Jason Bohn, Gavin Coles, Greg Owen, Geoff Oglivy, Brent Geiberger and Steve Stricker - stood at six under par.
ANZ LADIES MASTERS: The first transsexual woman to play on the Ladies European Tour made a slow start to the ANZ Ladies Masters. Denmark's Mianne Bagger carded a level-par 72 to stand in joint 59th place after the first round.
Much of the pre-tournament hype had surrounded Bagger (38), who came through the qualifying school last autumn to earn her tour card. However, she lagged well behind Japanese teenager Ai Miyazato who equalled the course record with a nine-under-par 63 at the Royal Pines golf course on Australia's Gold Coast.
The 19-year-old established a three-shot lead over Australian prospect Katherine Hull, who holds second by a shot from Swede Linda Wessberg, home hope Nikki Campbell and England's Kirsty Taylor.
Britain's former world number one Laura Davies carded a three-under 69 to stand 12th.
NEW ZEALAND PGA: Australia's Steven Bowditch shot a flawless round of eight-under-par 64 to grab a two-stroke lead after the first round of the New Zealand PGA in Christchurch yesterday. The 21-year-old continued where he left off in winning last week's South Australian Open with four birdies on both the front and back nines.
MYANMAR OPEN: Thailand's Thongchai Jaidee began his title defence of the Myanmar Open by cruising to his familiar place at the top of the leaderboard after an opening five-under-par 67. The Asian Tour number one, who successfully defended his Malaysian Open title last week by leading from start to finish, produced seven birdies against a double bogey at Yangon Golf Club.
Jaidee was joined at the top by fellow European Tour Member Matthew Cort of England, who enjoyed two spectacular chip-in birdies.
Swede Olle Nordberg lies in third place alongside Chinese Taipei's Yeh Chang-ting , compatriot Sung Mao-chang and Thai Boonchu Ruangkit.
