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 British Open notebook Lehman injured in carousel mishap
Posted: Wednesday July 15, 1998 11:12 PM
SOUTHPORT, England (AP) -- A trip to a Southport amusement park didn't turn out to be much fun for Tom Lehman. Lehman, the 1996 British Open champion, had his right shoulder in a sling after he fell off a carousel ride at Southport Fun Fair. "I'll definitely be OK," Lehman said. "I was just messing around with the kids." Lehman sought treatment imediately after Tuesday's mishap. "I'm glad to say he's responding well," said Michael Allen, chief medical officer for the Royal and Ancient. "I'm sure if he feels he's capable of playing, he will be." Lehman has an afternoon tee time for the first round. He's paired with Mark James and Ernie Els. Faldo: Don't count me outNick Faldo has some advice for British bettors: bet on me.The three-time British Open champion is 50-1 to win this time and says he's fully recovered from an injured right elbow suffered a week ago in practice. "It's a good chance for a few punters to make a few bucks, I feel much better than a 50-1 shot," said Faldo, also a three-time Masters champion who recoils at suggestions his career is winding down. "Yes, there's one [major] in there somewhere," he added. "I'm not trying to prove anything to anybody. I just want to get back to the right end of the leaderboard. The arm is doing great. It has knitted together well and everything is fine. No pressure:Defending champion Justin Leonard, who won a major early in his career, has never battled the pressure that weighs on Colin Montgomerie or Phil Mickelson, the best two players who've yet to win one."I think it would be harder on Colin or Phil Mickelson because they've been hearing that for a number of years," Leonard said. "I put a lot of pressure on myself," he added. "But I didn't feel a lot of pressure from the media or from just the general public." Montgomerie, who shot a 76 in the first round last year at Royal Troon, where his father is course secretary, will try relaxing this time. "I have put a little too much pressure on myself in the past," Montgomerie said. "I have learned that I play better golf when I'm relaxed. If I relax and have good rhythm, I'm confident on the first tee." Tight securityDogs jumped into car trunks to sniff for bombs and guards were especially vigilant in searching packages as security has been stepped up at Royal Birkdale.British officials are on guard. This course is only 10 miles (16 kilometers) from Aintree, where last year's Grand National was delayed 48 hours afte a bomb threat forced an evacuation. There is also heightened security in light of the violent standoff in Portadown, Northern Ireland, between police and Orange Order marchers. "It is better to be safe than sorry and we want to ensure there is no disruption to the Open championship as there was at Aintree," said Michael Bonallack, secretary of the Royal ad Ancient Golf Club. Watson on winningTom Watson spent his weekend watching his 15-year-old son, Michael, play a junior golf tournament at nearby Formby. He used the time to give him some lessons in life learned from a lifetime of golf."It's nice to watch him succeed on the golf course but it's also necessary for him to understand how to fail," Watson said. "The more you play the game the more you realize that failure is more prevalent than success is." Watson, of course, knows a bit about both. He's a five-time British Open champion, whose last win in the championship came here at Royal Birkdale in 1983. He also went through some lean years of struggling with the yips where even his most ardent fans winced when he stood over short putts. At the age of 48, Watson is playing in his 23rd Open. And, boosted by a win at Colonial earlier this year, he believes he still has the game to win. Daly's lifeJohn Daly is back with his wife, Paulette, who left him in March 1997 when he trashed their Jacksonville Beach, Florida hotel room after a night out drinking.Daly, who entered the Betty Ford Clinic and says he has been sober ever since, said he and Paulette reconciled about two months ago. His problem now is his putting, which has come and gone this year. Daly, who won the British Open in 1995 at St. Andrews, said he's hoping for some wind at Royal Birkdale to help even the odds some. "As long as the wind blows real hard where par is a good score, I have a chance," he said. "I'm not putting well enough to make a whole bunch of birdies." World ChampionshipThe top players in the world who qualify for the three tournaments in the World Golf Championship series that starts next year will get even richer.The PGA Tours International Federation, composed of the five leading golf tours, announced Wednesday the total purse for each event will be $5 million. The series begins in February with the Andersen Consulting Match Play Championship at La Costa in California, featuring the top 64 players in the world. The NEC Invitational, which replaces the World Series of Golf at Firestone in Akron, Ohio, will be a 72-hole stroke play in August among members of the Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup teams. And the American Express Championship will be played in November at Valderrama in Spain, a stroke-play event for top money-winners on the five tours. Prize money from the three tournament will count as official money on the respective tours -- the PGA, European, South Africa, Japan and Australia. The federation is still working on eligibility and format for the World Cup team play, which begins in 2000. It will start in the United States, moving to South Africa in 2001 and Japan in 2002. Let it blowJesper Parnevik, who tied for second in last year's Open and was second in '94, isn't satisfied with the 40 mph (60 kph) winds buffeting Royal Birkdale in practice. "I would not mind more wind," he said. "I enjoy playing in the wind. It's more of a survival test then.""Here you need to have a very god head," added Parnevik, golf's most famous flake and the son of Sweden's most famous comedian. "If your head is not screwed on right, you do not play well." NOTESDon't expect Ernie Els to have great memories from Royal Birkdale. Playing here in the British Amateur in 1989, he had his clubs stolen from his car while he was enjoying a local pub.Add 17-year-old Justin Rose to up-and-coming amateurs like American Matt Kuchar and Spain's Sergio Garcia. The 17-year-old Briton has yet to win a noted amateur championship, but he was playing scratch golf at 12.
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Faldo says he's fully recovered from an injured right elbow suffered a week ago in practice 