Course puts the wind up players

The greatest mystery of the first Carnoustie Open for 24 years is the weather and what the winning score will be.

Most spread punters have bought the winner's total shots but yesterday there was a backlash when TV viewers saw that the flags on the Angus coast were fluttering gently in a 10-15mph breeze.

Last night the inside money was on a score of around three or four over par to win, but after hearing the forecast for the next few days, Sporting's John Moran conceded: "If the worst we are looking at is 20-25mph for the week, it looks certain that somebody will do better than the 287-288 mark that the firms are forecasting."

Yet even in yesterday's benign conditions the world's top golfers were bellyaching.

Mark Calcavecchia, the 1989 champion, said: "With the wind we had today, I guess that three or four over the 284 par would be a really good score. If it gets really windy and ugly, the average score might be 80. In fact, it probably will be. So that's pretty silly.

"I went through 10 holes without making a bogey in practice, then I made about six after that!"

Another ex-champ, Seve Ballesteros, was of the same opinion. His view was that "if the wind blows like today, 10 over could be the score. Who knows? I need confidence - and this is not the place to get it."

Yet another king of the links, Greg Norman, was even more outspoken. "I thought Turnerry in '86 was the toughest we had, but this makes Turnberry look like St Andrews. It's like trying to hit a driver into my hotel room. The course takes away the strengths of everybody."

Only the 1997 winner, Justin Leonard, felt at ease. "I'm comfortable with the course but it is going to be a huge challenge," he said. Ironically, Leonard was the one player everyone wanted to be against on Sporting's markets.

The later starters, which include favourite Tiger Woods, look favoured by today's forecast. After a bright start, the strongest wind, of 20-25mph, is expected at midday with the afternoon and early evening down to a mere 10-15mph.

Light showers are anticipated all week but nothing drastic. The most severe winds tomorrow and Sunday are expected to be no worse than 20mph, with Saturday only marginally more testing.

There will be no freak conditions to beat up the best players in the world - only this old, proud course.

As Norman put it so succinctly: "It is just a brutal golf course to play."