REGARDLESS of what competition host Seve Ballesteros thinks of the players taking part in his tournament, one man delighted with how the Seve Trophy went is The Wynyard Club's managing director Gary Munro.

Munro has been connected with the club since its formation nine years ago and has seen it quickly develop into a venue capable of hosting the world's best golfers.

Across the Atlantic Vijay Singh and Tiger Woods have been battling it out in the President's Cup in Virginia, while Great Britain & Ireland competed for the Seve Trophy. And Munro, hailing The Wynyard's first major tournament as a huge success, has been impressed and even surprised with just how good his own course has proven to be.

"When I was watching the TV in the clubhouse, I thought I was watching the President's Cup," said Munro. "The sun was shining on the course, the galleries were packed and I thought what a fantastic golf course. It wasn't the President's Cup, it was the Seve Trophy here at Wynyard and it looked absolutely great.

"We knew we had everything in place here but to hear the numbers of spectators being talked about - of around 10,000 on both Saturday and Sunday - is great. All the feedback we are getting from Seve's team has been good too."

But Munro, speaking in the media centre, which had been especially constructed for the event, has a taste for staging the big names and is desperate for more.

"I am hoping to have a European Tour event here within the next two or three years," said Munro. "It will happen, it's just a case of when. Hopefully it will come ahead of schedule but we'll see."

IT was always Ballesteros' intention to be a perfect host and the Spaniard has been just that throughout a memorable week.

As well as exchanging pleasantries with the public and signing hundreds upon hundreds of autographs, Seve has also been giving golfing lessons to those who inquired about the possibility.

As well as lining up putts on the practice greens, he has been on the driving range with young and old to try to make as many people as possible happy with their visit to the Seve Trophy.

Judging by the way he struck the ball, he is nearing full fitness after a back injury and the 49-year-old can't be too far away from playing again. If he plays in the Madrid Open next month it will be a welcome sight.

IAN POULTER, a close friend of Middlesbrough footballer Ray Parlour, is renowned for his flamboyance and he lived up to his billing yesterday.

As well as sporting shoes with the badge of his favourite football club, Arsenal, stitched into them, his belt buckle was something that sparked a major talking point among the spectators.

"Bling, bling," was one cry, as Poulter strutted on to the 16th green with his diamond cladded, personalised buckle dazzling in the sunlight. His share of the £1m winnings will go a long way to paying for it - not that the Ryder Cup hero is in any financial trouble.

A GREAT credit must go to all the marshalls out on the course over the past six days, making sure that the stars of the show were given the utmost protection and assistance as they walked round the course.

There have been hundreds of them working efficiently and none more so than Consett's Ian Murray.

Ian, bless him, has gone round with Padraig Harrington and Paul McGinley, as well as keeping the scores in check. But his biggest task of his week at The Wynyard was following The Northern Echo's sports writer Paul Fraser at Wednesday's pro-am.

Trying to keep an eye on Fraser's ball as it flew into the right rough, the left rough, someone's back garden and plenty of bunkers was enough to wear anyone out.

But Ian had the perfect, albeit sarcastic, response yesterday: "You were the best of them all to follow around, Paul." Thanks Ian and if you can find that Pro-Staff that went astray on the third you can keep it.

Published: 26/09/2005