GIVEN that the biggest golfing spectacle to visit the North-East tees off on Thursday, day one of practise for the Seve Trophy did not go according to plan.

The marquees are up, the Sky Sports cameras are in town, while the food being served does the job. But there was one key thing missing yesterday at The Wynyard: Organiser Seve Ballesteros.

He had been due to arrive for a 2.15pm press call before enjoying a round with Continental Europe's leading light Miguel Angel Jimenez.

It was supposed to give the Seve Trophy the perfect launching pad for the rest of the week.

However, the great Spaniard was delayed, the press call in the Media Centre called off and now all eyes are on day two today, when Ballesteros and all 20 players are expected to grace the parkland course for the first time.

Most of the Continental European team are accounted for and spent the night in the luxurious Crathorne Hall, near Yarm - the official hotel for the Seve Trophy - after flying into the region at staggered times yesterday.

Captain Jose Maria Olazabal will follow today.

BALLESTEROS' non-appearance at Wynyard did not distract the huge number of workmen on duty making sure the venue is ready for tomorrow's pro-am, which will be the curtain-raiser to the main four-day event, which begins on Thursday.

Ashes heroes Steve Harmison and Paul Collingwood, Newcastle's Michael Owen and Alan Shearer, plus Sunderland manager Mick McCarthy are among those taking part tomorrow.

Work is still likely to be ongoing through the night to make sure everything is in place for the thousands of spectators who are expected to flock to see the showpiece event at The Wynyard.

Two main hospitality tents will cater for over 350 people from Thursday through to Sunday, while 22 Sky cameras are being stationed across the course on the luxurious Wynyard estate.

More than £750,000 has been spent in the last year on a club extension, lengthening the course by 200 yards and introducing new tees and bunkers.

Everything has been designed to ensure The Wynyard is equipped to host a European Tour style competition.

It is estimated the Seve Trophy will contribute millions of pounds into the local economy and pictures from the event will be beamed around the globe.

As well as Sky Sports' planned 27 hours of coverage, European station Canal+, and American based stations The Golf Channel and ESPN will all be covering the tournament.

THE Wynyard boasts being one of the clubs to have a David Leadbetter Golf Academy within its set-up, named after Nick Faldo's former coach, and 13 schoolchildren will have the chance to receive a few tips from one of the sport's greats this morning.

Among the lucky youngsters will be a seven-year-old girl, Elouise Healey, who is already being hailed as England's answer to Michelle Wie.

Wie, 16, from Hawaii, is so good she played in the men's Sony Open earlier this year, while Elouise can incredibly strike a ball 130 yards at her tender age.

Six of the other children - aged between 11 and 15 - have been hand-picked from a summer-long clinic run at eight Stockton secondary schools by Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council.

Published: 20/09/2005