THERE were two major blemishes on a wonderful Open. The first was Mark Roe's lamentable disqualification; the second was that a player who clearly choked over the closing holes still managed to win.

To deal with Roe first, I know and respect all the arguments about golf being the sport in which everybody abides by the time-honoured rules. But to outsiders incidents like this make the game look silly.

Roe had done absolutely nothing wrong other than forget to exchange his card with Jesper Parnevik on the first tee, which was easily done because on previous days they had been handed a partner's card, as they apparently do in the United States.

It was bad enough when Ian Woosnam lost his chance to win the Open two years ago because his idiot caddy had a club too many in the bag. All Woosie got was a two-stroke penalty and a fuming brain which probably cost him two or three more shots before he settled down.

But Roe was chucked out. Just when he'd played the round of his life and stood within 18 holes of possible Open glory and a cheque for £700,000, he was unceremoniously sent packing. All because he'd signed for the right score, but with the wrong name on the back of the card.

It was revealed shortly afterwards that two other players had made the same mistake, but it was discovered in the recorders' hut. So why couldn't the recorder who let down Roe so badly have quietly recalled him when the mistake was discovered and struck a little pact which we need never have known about?

Such chicanery would no doubt be dubbed "scandalous" by the dozen or so blazered old buffers who lined up for the presentation ceremony the next day. But I doubt if the European Court of Human Rights would see it that way.

In an era when New Labour are obsessed with modernising, there is much to admire in institutions like the Royal and Ancient, the Jockey Club and the MCC maintaining glorious traditions. But there has to be room for flexibility and compassion.

Roe had apparently had some harsh words to say at the previous week's Scottish Open about qualification for the Open favouring the Americans. "And I bet I get a 4pm tee-off time on the first day at Sandwich after this," he added. Sadly, the revenge was much more chilling than that.

He was clearly making a valid point, however, as Ben Curtis qualified by finishing 13th in the Western Open.

On that basis it's easy to argue he shouldn't even have been at Sandwich, a course which again produced a freak winner just as it did when another unknown American, Bill Rogers, won in 1981.

Curtis won because he got on a roll at a point on the course where all the big guns, who were looking out for each other, suffered a wobble.

The eighth was the pivotal hole. Curtis parred it then birdied the next three. But with the exception of Thomas Bjorn, all the others who were threatening to mount a charge, including Nick Faldo after his eagle at seven, bogeyed the eighth and never recovered.

Bjorn blew it at the 16th, not quite as carelessly as Jean Van de Velde at Carnoustie four years ago, but we were left wondering why does no-one go out and grab the course by the throat in the final round any more, like Ian Baker-Finch did in his sublime final round at Birkdale in 1991?

Curtis played brilliantly for 11 holes, but to drop four strokes in the next six was not the stuff of a champion. I'll be amazed if he wins another major.

IT'S very odd that Alec Stewart should choose the eve of the first Test against South Africa to announce that he is retiring from Test cricket at the end of the series.

He obviously has no qualms about putting the selectors in a quandary about whether to pick him for the remaining games. I suspect they will simply make a judgement based on how he performs, and in the unlikely event of the series being won 3-0 they will give someone else a chance and deny Alec a farewell at his beloved Oval.

THE appliance of science is reaching remarkable levels in sport, or is it just that the obsession with spin under New Labour is being used to pull something more than good old-fashioned wool over our eyes?

The publicity surrounding Newcastle Falcons' new home and away strips, supplied by a firm called KooGa, says they use a revolutionary new fabric called Evaporex.

Not only is this is designed to combat sweat absorption, it is also both anti-bacterial and anti-microbial for increased comfort and optimum "body climate".

We are also told the new shirts are streamlined and mould into the torso, which prevents the shirts from being pulled during the match.

Whatever will they think of next?

Published: 25/07/2003