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Caddie gets wake-up call: You are fired!

Ian Woosnam, who had problems with Miles Byrne at the British Open, fires the caddie after he oversleeps for Sunday's final round of the Scandinavian Masters.

©Associated Press

© St. Petersburg Times,
published August 6, 2001

LODDEKOPINGE, Sweden -- Miles Byrne is looking for work after breaking the most basic caddie rule of all.

Two week after costing Ian Woosnam a two-stroke penalty in the British Open when he failed to count the Welsh player's clubs, Byrne was fired Sunday after oversleeping and missing Woosnam's tee time in the Scandinavian Masters, which Colin Montgomerie won by one shot.

"You know what the circumstances are going to be this time," Woosnam said. "I gave him a chance. He had one warning. That was it."

Two weeks ago at Royal Lytham & St. Annes, Woosnam lost two strokes when he teed off with 15 clubs in his bag, one over the limit. Byrne, whose duties include making sure the equipment fits the rules, failed to count the clubs, which included an extra driver Woosnam had been trying on the practice range.

Woosnam nearly aced the opening hole, but discovered an extra club in his bag that turned a tap-in into a devastating bogey. He finished in a third-place tie, one stroke behind runner-up Niclas Fasth of Sweden and four behind winner David Duval.

Woosnam teed off on schedule at 7:15 a.m. for Sunday's final round, with local caddiemaster Tommy Strand skipping breakfast and carrying his bag.

Club officials also helped Woosnam break into his locker for his golf shoes, because Byrne had the key.

Woosnam shot 3-under 69, his best score in the tournament at Barseback Golf and Country Club. He tied for 59th at 2-under 286, then left Strand with thanks and a hefty tip.

"I ran to the first tee," Strand said. "It was very hectic. Ian smiled when I counted the clubs. He was very nice.

"He gave me 1,000 kronor ($100, compared with the normal caddie fee of $30) after the round. He asked for my address afterward."

Byrne did show up, but it was too late. Strand said he saw Byrne sitting in the clubhouse but did not speak with him.

At the British Open, Woosnam hit his tee shot at the par-3 opening hole within inches and tapped in to tie for the lead with Fasth. But on the second tee, he was informed by Byrne that he was "going to go ballistic" because of the 15th club.

"I want to forget it and just remember I finished third in the Open," was Woosnam's only comment before his Scandinavian Masters start.

Woosnam, 43, won the Masters in 1991 and twice topped the European tour's Order of Merit.

Despite finishing with two bogeys, Montgomerie managed to beat Lee Westwood and Ian Poulter.

Montgomerie's third victory in the event earned him a spot on Europe's Ryder Cup team that faces the United States Sept. 28-30 at the Belfry in England.

The Scot shot 2-under 70 and totaled 14-under 274 on the Barseback Golf and Country Club seaside course in southern Sweden.

Montgomerie won his first Scandinavian title outside Stockholm in 1991 and the second at Barseback in 1999. He won the Irish Open five weeks ago and has 26 European PGA Tour titles.

"I shouldn't have had the drama in the end," he said. "I finished 5-5-5, which was poor really. I hit a bad drive on the 17th and a bad second shot on the last.

"But at the same time I was happy. I was enough ahead."

Westwood, the 2000 winner, shared the overnight lead with Poulter one stroke ahead of Montgomerie and Sweden's Peter Hedblom. He missed his chance to force a playoff on the 18th hole when his approach shot sailed into the crowd. He settled for par. He matched Poulter with 72.

Westwood had missed the cut four times in his previous six events after taking a long break when his first child was born in April.

Five players were another shot behind.

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