Zane comes of age

Zane Scotland knows his life will undergo a remarkable change now he has qualified for the Open at the age of 16.

He made the cut from Downfield with a six-under-par total of 140 in front of an enthusiastic gallery at the Dundee course.

But the crowds there will be nothing compared to the thousands who will flock to Carnoustie on Thursday.

Scotland, 17 this Saturday, was expecting to defend his South East Boys title at Sunningdale, starting today.

Instead he will be thrust into the full glare of the media spotlight on Scotland's east coast.

Dad Bernie, who is also a member at his son's course, Woodcote Park in Surrey, will again be at his side to try and divert any leading questions.

Zane, a Manchester United supporter, is polite and unassuming, and committed to playing full-time on the amateur circuit this season.

He admits to being an admirer of Freddie Couples, Vijay Singh and Payne Stewart.

"They are three different characters but all have great qualities," said Zane. "Freddie is so laid-back, Vijay works so hard and Payne has a marvellous attitude to the game.

"I think if I could combine all three of these then I wouldn't be doing too bad."

Prince Andrew will be able to measure his own golfing skills against the best players in the world when he attends the Open at Carnoustie this weekend.

The Duke played the terror track last Friday - and not only lived to tell the tale, but was a winner.

Playing off an eight-handicap, he partnered Sir Michael Bonallack, soon to retire as secretary of the Royal and Ancient Club, against championship committee chairman Hugh Campbell and Peter Dawson, Bonallack's successor.

Sir Michael was one under par after five holes and out in a two over 38, then the Prince won the difficult 10th hole with a bogey five and the pair then took the 383-yard 11th with a double bogey six.

They eventually won two and one and Sir Michael said of his partner: "He drives it well and long, but because he does not play as much as he would like he does not score as well as he should."

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European tour player Diego Borrego had some explaining to do today.

Playing in the final qualifying competition at Downfield, the Spaniard shot rounds of 70 and 72 to make it into a six-man play-off for the last spot in the Open.

But in that 72 he had a quadruple bogey eight at the last, stormed away - perhaps to hammer a hotel wall like Jose Maria Olazabal at the US Open - and when the time for the play-off came a few hours later Borrego was not to be found and so his name was struck off.

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The play-off at Monifieth began on the second hole for the simple reason that a flock of swans landed on the first fairway just before the five players involved teed off.

Scottish professional Allan MacDonald made it through in dramatic fashion. After Venezuelan Gilberto Morales and Spain's Pedro Linhart made it through at the second extra hole MacDonald put out Cheshire's Neil Price.

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Giant Scot Gordon Sherry, Sleaford's Andrew Hare and American Kevin Wentworth all failed to qualify at Panmure. But they all had a memory to take away with them.

Wentworth holed-in-one at the fifth in the first round, then on the second day Hare aced the 11th and Sherry the 15th.

Amazingly, Hare's one was followed only three holes later by a quintuple bogey 10. He lost one ball, then put another in a bush.

"We all saw the funny side of it," he said. "And I still had to stand a round of drinks wen I got in!"

Sherry's exit was another sad moment for the former Walker Cup star, who as British amateur champion finished fourth in the Scottish Open at Carnoustie in 1995 and the following week holed-in-one in practice for the Open at St Andrews, partnering Jack Nicklaus and Tom Watson no less.

He turned professional after appearing in the Masters the following year, but has still to earn a European tour card.

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Matt Kuchar played in the Open at Birkdale last year as the American amateur champion and the man who had smiled his way to 21st place in the Masters and 14th in the US Open.

He thought long and hard about whether to turn professional - the offers were flooding in - but chose to continue his studies.

Kuchar failed to qualify for this year's Open yesterday and now returns home to play in the Greater Hartford Open at the end of this month and then the US Amateur at Pebble Beach.

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A 100-seater state-of-the-art hovercraft, which normally operates between the Isle of Wight and Portsmouth, will be providing a high speed service for golf fans - and even players if they choose - between St Andrews and Carnoustie all this week.

The 11-mile route will be covered in just 20 minutes, landing on the beach within 100 metres of the first tee. Prices start at £21, rising to £34.