Des Smyth will be joined by two other survivors of 1985 when the Alfred Dunhill Cup has its final staging this week over the Old Course at St Andrews. The indications are that an event which Ireland won twice will be scrapped in favour of a pro-celebrity tournament similar to that at Pebble Beach.

"I thought I was going to be the only one to have played in the first and the last," said Smyth yesterday. But, as it happens, Ian Woosnam of Wales and Japan's Isao Aoki will be in action this week, having also competed in the inaugural staging 15 years ago.

On that occasion, Eamonn Darcy, Smyth and Ronan Rafferty had earned Ireland the right to play at St Andrews by reaching the final of a European qualifying tournament held at Albarella GC, near Venice, in April of that year. And the Welsh trio of Woosnam, Philip Parkin and Craig Defoy actually dominated the qualifying, beating Ireland 2-1 in the final.

By the time the tournament proper came around six months later, however, Christy O'Connor Jnr replaced his friend Darcy in the Irish team, largely through an outstanding performance in the British Open at Royal St George's, where he finished third behind Sandy Lyle. But Smyth and Rafferty remained.

So, was the Drogheda player saddened by its anticipated demise? "Not really," replied Smyth. "Things move on and I'm simply delighted that I happened to be in the team of 1988, when our win provided the highlight of my golfing career."

He added: "The old Irish thing made it really special for me, every time I played. And it will be all the more so this week, especially since I'm back in the side for the first time since 1988. Being alongside such outstanding players as Paul (McGinley) and Padraig (Harrington) makes it a win, win situation for me."

Smyth, who was disappointed at finishing in a share of seventh place behind McGinley in the Smurfit Irish Professional Championship on his home turf last weekend, has no doubt about his outstanding match in the Dunhill Cup so far.

"It had to be the win over Rodger Davis in the '88 final, though the semi-final win over Nick Faldo also stands out," he said.

"Most people simply remember the 17th, where Rodger drove out of bounds to run up a seven, while I made par. But from being two strokes behind with five to play, I finished birdie, par, birdie, par, birdie to win by two. And with the title depending on it, those were pretty good figures."

Going back to his debut in 1985, Smyth beat Paul Way by 70-76 in the anchor position, but Ireland still lost the first-round match by 2-1 to England. And the other survivors? Aoki was beaten 71-68 by Sam Torrance in Japan's 3-0 defeat by Scotland on the second day, but Woosnam won his first two matches before losing 74-69 to David Graham, in a 2-1 semi-final defeat by Australia, the inaugural winners.

Meanwhile, Darcy is not overly concerned about European Tour survival, even with only two tournaments remaining. "If I don't retain my card, I would like to think that I could depend on sponsors' invitations next year," said the 48-year-old, who has his sights set on a senior career - in the US.

Darcy, who was runner-up to McGinley at Baltray, is heading to next week's Turespana Masters in Madrid. By his own admission, however, his real focus is on events two years' hence, after he turns 50 on August 7th, 2002. "I would like to spend two seasons on the US Seniors' tour and earn myself a nice pension," he said.

Aware of the importance of remaining competitive in the meantime, as O'Connor Jnr did, he will maintain his European Tour activities, either as an exempted player or with the help of tournament sponsors. And clearly, his friendship with O'Connor will be invaluable in terms of being pointed in the right direction.

Philip Walton was heartened by a closing 36 holes of 139 - seven under par - which lifted him to a share of fifth place at Baltray. And with no further tournament commitments, he will be spending much of his time on the practice ground between now and November 17th to 22nd, when the European Tour Qualifying School takes place at San Roque and Sotogrande on Spain's Costa del Sol.

"Like any other student, I have to do my homework to prepare myself for school," he said with a grin. "To be honest, I feel good about my chances after the way I struck the ball over the weekend."