The Agony and the Ecstasy

Lewine Mair's Open Championship notebook captures the highlights from a memorable week at Royal Lytham & St Annes, which saw Ernie Els claim his fourth major following Adam Scott's dramatic collapse.

Darren Clarke failed to find the form that won him the Open one year beforeThere are Opens which get off on the right foot but this was not one of them. The 2012 edition started amid a welter of rain-lashed wind, mud, dark skies – and complaints.

The bunkers were wet and heavy, while the rough was thick and lush and a haven for escaping balls. Heaven knows how many players – they included World No 1 Luke Donald – had to take penalty drops during the championship when they had strayed only inches from the semi-rough.

Away from the players, the public were similarly of sorts at the prices they had to pay for their food. Peter Alliss, of BBC commentary fame, had so many complaints coming his way that, on Saturday, he mentioned the problem on air. The R&A, he said, did so much so well that it was a pity they should get the food pricing so badly wrong.

For this correspondent, the first shaft of light amid the uneasy beginnings came that evening.

The sun came out and, as spectators were heading for home, so Darren Clarke was standing in the garden of his management team ISM's house which was virtually opposite the clubhouse. He and his manager, Chubby Chandler, were due at a sponsor’s function and were waiting for their chauffeur to pull up at the gate.

As they waited, people stopped and stared and, before too long, they were making bold to ask Clarke if they could have their picture taken with him. The defending champion could not have been more obliging. One by one, he invited them into the garden where they would get a better backcloth for their photo.

Even at that point, their week was made.

Pages