Right-hand man plays his part

According to Mac O'Grady, who professes an unparalleled knowledge of golf and related matters, Billy Foster is one of the great pacifists of our time. Indeed, referring to the caddie's relationship with Seve Ballesteros, O'Grady claims: "Billy deserved the Nobel Peace Prize for what he put up with."

Against that background, Darren Clarke has to be something of a soft touch for Foster, even allowing for the Ulsterman's odd explosive outburst. "They have totally different temperaments and it was a much greater strain working for Seve," was how he assessed his most recent employers.

"I knew Seve respected me, but it could be absolutely scary looking at some of the shots he pulled off. Darren relies on me a lot more and he's certainly much easier to work with. I'm really enjoying things right now."

They worked beautifully together during the season just ended, as Clarke approached the golfing heights to which he seems destined, winning two tournaments, finishing second in the European Order of Merit and getting into the top 20 in the World Rankings.

The climax, of course, was victory in the Volvo Masters at Montecastillo on November 1st, when the Tyroneman shot a stunning final round 63. Though the margin was two strokes over Andrew Coltart, it looked as if Clarke needed a birdie to win coming down the 72nd.

"I felt I had pulled some useful clubs earlier in that round," recalls Foster, with justifiable pride. "For instance at the short 11th, Darren was thinking of a cut five wood or a three iron, but I convinced him it was a solid four iron.

"He took my advice, hit it to 18 feet and sank the putt for a two. Then, at the 15th, he wanted to hit a four iron, but I convinced him he needed a three. Again he took my advice, hit it to five feet but missed the putt."

So, master and caddie were a formidable scoring unit coming down the 72nd in quest of a closing birdie. After a solid tee-shot, Clarke faced an approach of 135 yards over water to a dangerously seductive pin placement. "Normally Darren would hit a wedge 125 yards, but we were slightly downwind and I knew he was pumped up, so I was sure he could make the extra 10 yards, comfortably," says Foster.

"There was never any doubt about that selection. Darren simply moved the ball back in his stance and made a solid hit. In flight, I knew it would be just about perfect. It landed within seven or eight feet of the pin and Darren sank it for a closing birdie."

Though he is approaching his 33rd birthday, Foster remains remarkably boyish-looking, even vulnerable. But he is very much his own man and brings the sort of straight-talking, no-nonsense approach to caddying that one would expect from a native of Bingley, Yorkshire.

Somewhat dismissive of his own, considerable golfing skill, he claims to play very little these days. "Maybe one day, when I'm finished with the tour, I'll concentrate on trying to get my game into decent shape," he says.

Despite his protests, he still plays a very useful game off four and was once good enough to have been offered a job as an assistant professional. "It was at a club in Yorkshire," he says. "I was 25 at the time and was just about to take it when Seve asked me if I would caddie for him. That was a chance I couldn't turn down."

He joined Ballesteros at the start of the 1991 season in which the Spaniard won the Volvo PGA Championship, the British Masters, a record-equalling fifth World Matchplay title and the Japanese Chunichi Crowns. But disputes over money soured their relationship and they split after the US Masters in 1995.

Following a break of a few months, Foster joined Clarke for the Murphy's Irish Open at Mount Juliet. They split from each other at the start of 1997, but Clarke was delighted to have him back, one suspected on Foster's terms, within months.

"You know that wedge to the 18th at Montecastillo: well Darren couldn't have played that shot 18 months ago," says the Yorkshireman. "That's been the big difference in his game. Sure, he's improved his course management and his temperament but the real change is in his wedge play from 120 yards in. That's now 100 per cent better than it was.

"It's every caddie's ambition to feel the pressure of being in contention. During the Open at Troon in 1997, however, I didn't think Darren was quite ready for a major breakthrough. But he is now. That's a measure of how good a player he's become.

"I saw it for the first time at The Oxfordshire last May, when he won the Benson and Hedges International. What really impressed me there was the way he totally outplayed Monty (Colin Montgomerie) when they went head to head in the last round.

"I couldn't get over how calm he remained while edging closer to the title. And I began to feel really good about our prospects in the Volvo Masters when I saw the same sort of focus from him after the 11th at Montecastillo. I could see he was playing within himself."

Foster is qualified to make such judgments, having progressed from three seasons with Hugh Baiocchi to five years and two Ryder Cups with Gordon Brand Jnr before joining Ballesteros. His loyalty and admiration for the Spaniard was never more in evidence than in March 1994 during the Majorca Open.

While Ballesteros, totally at odds with his game, was struggling towards a miserable second round of 79, Foster pleaded with him to come off the course, saying: "I hate to see you suffering." Whereupon the proud Spaniard turned to him and replied: "Billy, we're professionals. That means we must battle on regardless."

Foster never forget that lesson. And with it, he has helped his Irish master complete his best season in tournament golf.