Australia slip up against France

Matchplay here on the Old Course yesterday was about two competitors, separated by 153 places in the world rankings, going down the 19th in a play-off. Minutes later, Jean Van de Velde outscored Steve Elkington with a birdie to send fourth seeds Australia crashing to defeat in the £1 million Alfred Dunhill Cup.

Remarkably, Van de Velde tied with no less a player than Curtis Strange when France performed their previous giant-killing act in this tournament. That was in 1990, when they beat the defending champions from the US in the opening round.

As it happened, the Frenchman's task was rendered very much easier when Elkington hit his approach into the Swilcan Burn. But Van de Velde insisted: "The 17th was crucial. I made a 20-footer for a three and he missed from six feet to take five. The perfect scenario at the right moment."

Ironically, the celebrated hazard which traverses the first and 18th fairways, saved the Americans from embarrassment yesterday. Against Argentina, they looked to be comfortably in control as British Open champion Justin Leonard set a new course record of 65. But their quest for a second point became decidedly fraught when Eduardo Romero birdied the 17th.

With a glorious five iron, followed by a 10-foot putt, he drew level with Mark O'Meara. And that's how they remained after rounds of 67. Down the 19th, however, Romero, who was first to hit, went for the flag, which was only six yards in from the Burn - and found a watery grave.

Conditions could hardly have been better for low scoring in that there was barely a breath of wind, while Wednesday's rain had made the greens most receptive. Indeed, the weather was so benign that players discarded their official, cashmere-lined sweaters. "Wearing them would be like a sauna," said O'Meara.

Most competitors agreed with the changes to the course, with the notable exception of Mark James. "Unimaginative, unnecessary and irrelevant," was how the Englishman viewed the new tees at the third, 10th, 13th, 15th and 16th holes. "The problem was that if you carried 270 yards off the tee, there was hardly a bunker in play. That problem still exists."

In the event, Leonard bogeyed the 14th and 15th in a round that contained nine birdies. His best position was eight-under-par after starting the homeward journey with three successive birdies. "I never thought I would be eight under on this course," he said afterwards. "I want to hurry off and tell my parents."

Jesper Parnevik equalled Leonard's score later in the day and it probably had greater merit in that the Swede kept a bogey off his card. And Alexander Cejka matched Leonard's outward journey of 31 on the way to a fine round of 66 which gave Germany their lone point in a 2-1 defeat by Scotland.

But Raymond Russell, playing at number one for the Scots, looked set to better the American's target with an astonishing run from the long fifth, where he had a birdie four. He followed it with eight threes - five birdies, an eagle and two pars - in the next nine holes, the only break occurring at the 12th, where he had a par four.

Eight under par at that stage, he proceeded to drive into a bunker to card a double-bogey six at the 15th. And he was clearly wobbling when he sent his drive out of bounds in the hotel grounds to run up a wretched seven at the 17th. In a formidable group, the Scots may yet have reason to regret Cejka's win over Gordon Brand Jnr.

Nick Price also suffered the indignity of a seven at the 17th but, as with Russell, it didn't matter. He had already done enough to ensure victory against the Korean, Kim, but it was nonetheless embarrassing to watch his ball roll back to him after he had attempted to chip it from off the road behind the green.

While last year's runners-up, New Zealand, were coasting to a comfortable win over Spain, Miguel-Angel Martin proved his fitness once more, albeit in defeat. With a solid if unspectacular 73, Martin was three strokes adrift of Steven Alker in the top match, while Frank Nobilo made certain of victory for New Zealand by beating Ryder Cup player Ignacio Garrido.