On being asked whether he felt he had given value for a reported appearance fee of $1 million in the TPC Open of Europe yesterday, the newly-crowned champion, Tiger Woods, replied: "Yes. The tournament got what they wanted and all the top players played well. That's what it's all about."

It wasn't clear whether the "it" he had in mind was the general acceptance of such fees as a fact of life on the European Tour. But that seems to be the case, judging by the reaction of executive director, Ken Schofield.

In the process, a particularly interesting point has emerged regarding the Murphy's Irish Open of 1995. That was when the sponsors were censured by the European Tour for a breach of regulations in their reported payment to Greg Norman.

It was alleged that Norman received about $350,000, including the cost of fuel for his private plane, for playing at Mount Juliet, when Sam Torrance captured the title. Earlier that year, Norman, Nick Price and Fred Couples were among those who received more than the entire prize fund in appearance money for the Desert Classic in Dubai.

Schofield now claims that he took action on those occasions in response to complaints from other sponsors. Apparently, they were unhappy that the guaranteed money in Dubai and Mount Juliet exceeded 25 per cent of the prize fund, as stipulated by the European Tour.

Under the Tour's general regulations is the heading "No Guarantee for Appearance". It stipulates that "neither players not other individuals acting on such players' behalf, shall solicit or accept any compensation, gratuity or other thing of value offered for the purpose of guaranteeing their appearance in any . . . European Tour event . . ."

When asked whether everything was in order, vis a vis this regulation, in the running of the Heidelberg tournament, Schofield replied: "I would be surprised if the regulation was broken. (Sponsors) Deutsche Bank and SAP, and their associates in the US are substantial organisations, each with connections with courses - Gut Kaden (Hamburg) in the case of the bank and SAP at St LeonRot."

He went on: "Section C of the regulation allows players to have beneficial relationships with the host venue. Els, for example, has a property at Fancourt in South Africa in which Deutsche Bank has an interest. Doesn't this lead to a stronger tournament?"

The answer, of course, is yes. And it explains how Murphy's could announce a ban on all appearance-money payments starting with this year's Irish Open, and still have John Daly at Druids Glen. The erstwhile Wild Thing, we were informed, would be a "guest" of Druids Glen with a view to enhancing "the club's marketing profile in the US".

From soundings I have made here over the last five days, the feeling among rank and file players ranged from resentment at a select group benefiting from such rich pickings, to an acceptance that performers such as Woods represented sound value for money. And he surely does.

His impact on this event had to be seen to be fully appreciated. It was obvious from their attire - and, at times, their behaviour - that many of those present at St Leon-Rot over the weekend were not regular golf fans. They had come to see Woods and, most importantly, they had not been disappointed.

Rarely have I see a player being subjected to such jostling and general body contact from the public, as Woods had to undergo from the enthusiastic Germans. And he took it all in great heart, never once showing annoyance, as he might well have done.

As someone who has always objected on principle to the practice of appearance fees, I felt that only two players in recent decades could be guaranteed to put bums on seats at a European Tour event. I refer to Seve Ballesteros and Greg Norman. Sadly, neither is any longer a force in the game, and both are now comfortably outstripped by Woods.

Meanwhile, Schofield seemed to be satisfied that the prize fund at St Leon-Rot was in no way affected by the various payments to the leading lights on view. It seems there is more than one way of skinning a cat, so to speak. And the Germans would appear to have found the answer.