British Open Notebook Irish eyes smiling on Americans Click here for more on this story Posted: Tuesday July 13, 1999 07:54 PM   At the tender age of 16, Zane Scotland is the youngest qualifier in British Open history. AP CARNOUSTIE, Scotland (AP) -- Tom Watson will be a captain of one of the most storied golf courses in Ireland next year. Payne Stewart got such a fine reception in one Irish town that he wonders how he would fare in a race for mayor. When it comes to the British Open, Americans are finding Ireland to be a home away from home. Stewart, Tiger Woods, David Duval, Lee Janzen and Mark O'Meara were among those who spent five days playing links golf in Ireland the week before the Open. "I think David was playing the best," Woods said. One of the courses they played was the K Club, site of the 2005 Ryder Cup matches. "It was a lot of fun. The camaraderie was very special," Stewart said. "We played a scramble. Tiger was on my team, so how many times do you think they used my drive?" Stewart was more valuable playing his harmonica in the pubs at night. "I think if I ran for mayor at Waterville, it would be a landslide," Stewart said. "I don't know why they have accepted me so much, but we have a very good time. We get into the pub and we get on the piano, and I bring my harmonicas out and the next thing you know it's about 4 o'clock in the morning." While most players bounce around from course to course in a helicopter, Watson prefers to cross bodies of water in a ferry and then drive through the countryside. "You can't see it very well from a helicopter," he said. Watson's fondest memory this year was at Ballybunion, where the club was trying to raise money for a young professional trying to qualify for the Open. "People just started singing. They had a microphone and went around the room, and it was beautiful," he said. "The problem was they asked me if I wanted to sing. I love to sing, but I wasn't going to get up there and embarrass myself." That will change next year, when Watson becomes a captain -- an honorary position in which he will represent the club for a year. "I'll be required to sing, so I better find a good song," he said. He then belted out the first line of "When Irish eyes are smiling." Youth is served Zane Scotland, the 16-year-old who became the youngest qualifier in British Open history, was first discovered two years ago when Sky Sports and the Sun newspaper held a competition to find Britain's answer to Tiger Woods. Scotland competed in a nine-hole tournament using the Stableford format and beat 12 other players to win a trip to the 1997 Ryder Cup. Asked at the time about whether he'd like to be a pro, Scotland said, "Hopefully, if I do well in my exams at school, I'd like to advance to college golf in America and see how it goes from there." If he sticks to that plan, he'll have a friend in Payne Stewart. "I hope he doesn't turn pro if he finishes third," Stewart said when told that a 16-year-old had qualified for the Open. A year ago, 17-year-old Justin Rose tied for fourth, turned pro and missed his first 22 cuts as a professional. Monty's tunes It's safe to say that Colin Montgomerie and Mark Calcavecchia have different tastes in tunes. When Calcavecchia won the 1998 Honda Classic, he listened to the Rolling Stones during his drive from West Palm Beach to Coral Springs. Montgomerie has been staying in the Gleneagles Hotel this week, about an hour's drive. His choice of music? Abba and Elton John. "That's my wife's tape. It's stuck in there," Montgomerie offered. "OK, we're all Abba fans, aren't we? Most of it is good." When asked if he would be wearing bell bottoms, Montgomerie laughed. "Yeah, but I'll leave the white boots off," he said. Watson memories Of all the horror stories told of Carnoustie, Tom Watson has one that dates to before he won the Open in 1975. Jack Nicklaus told him of a made-for-television event in the 1960s between Nicklaus, Gary Player and Arnold Palmer. The wind blew about 40 mph and the course was baked out. Nicklaus had a 77, Player a 78 and Palmer finished with a 79. "That's nothing unusual," Watson thought. Then they counted how many greens were hit in regulation. Nicklaus led with four, Player hit two and Palmer putted for a birdie only once. "So, if you add the rough to it and you add the length to it, and you add the wind to it ... now what's going to happen?" Watson said. Divots Lee Westwood has a prank or two up his sleeve. He agreed to be interviewed on an English radio station Tuesday morning, and the host panicked when Westwood let the phone ring for more than a minute -- then answered it as if he were the owner of a Chinese restaurant. .... While there have been several reports of luggage being delayed on flights to Scotland, save the sympathy for Mitch Knox. The caddie for David Duval walked 14 holes to get a look at Carnoustie, followed by an 18-hole round with Duval, wearing his black hiking boots. ... Eight players have won half of the 38 major championships this decade. Scott Hoch, Jeff Maggert and Phil Mickelson have the most top-10s in majors in the '90s -- nine -- without having won.   Related information Stories British Open Tee Times British Open returns to difficult Carnoustie Golf Links First practice round goes to Carnoustie Multimedia Click here for the latest audio and video Search our site Watch CNN/SI 24 hours a day Sports Illustrated and CNN have combined to form a 24 hour sports news and information channel. To receive CNN/SI at your home call your cable operator or DirecTV. Copyright 2003 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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