A National disaster

Golf French OpenIan Woosnam had rummaged around some cobwebby corners of his garage and found the answer yesterday to the problems posed by a desperately difficult course in the first round of the French Open.

A strong wind whistled across the National course here, rustling rough that was ridiculously penal. There were only 11 scores under par, with Woosnam's 67 being topped by one late in the day, when the wind relented, by South Africa's Darren Fichardt.

Woosnam, looking for an implement to keep the ball under the wind and in play, happened on a Ping one-iron acquired in 1983, the type that every self-respecting pro had in his bag in those days.

"I used it a lot today," he said, "it has been extremely useful."

With scores soaring out of sight, his front nine of 31 was matched only by Fichardt, twice a European Tour winner.

Best of the six Irish competitors was Graeme McDowell, who, having started at the 10th, showed his resilience by recovering from an outward two-over-par 37, including a double bogey at the 18th, to find three birdies on the front nine to hand in a one-over 70.

Individual disasters were everywhere. Stuart Little, the first man out, was level par for nine holes but came home in 46, 11 over, for an 82.

Alan McLean also took 46 to come back for an 87, and one of his playing partners, South Africa's Desvonde Botes, had the highest score, halves of 44 and 45 containing a seven, an eight and two nines. The worst-ball score for the pair was 96, with 54 to come home.

One of the Botes nines was on the ninth, which had become what the French call un trou cauchemardesque - a nightmare of a hole.

Originally 561 yards long, 35 yards have been added, which, given that it was into the wind and surrounded by grass up to the armpits, made it as close to impossible as, well, several holes at Shinnecock last week.

No fewer than 48 players had tackled it before Jean van de Velde registered the first birdie; before that there had been seven sevens, four eights, one nine and a 10. The hole was averaging 5.9 strokes, which makes a mockery of the concept of the par five as a birdie chance for two well-executed shots.

Among the eights was Paul McGinley's, who in the circumstances did well to shoot a 75.

The National here and Shinnecock are good enough in their own right; to be tricked up indicates a lack of belief in the calibre of the course that is totally unjustified.