SAM Torrance returns to the European golf tour in Portugal today after
what he calls ''the worst experience of my life.''
The 40-year-old Ryder Cup Scot had to go to hospital last week after
five cysts developed on his eyes. ''They were removed under local
anaesthetic and that's something I would never do again,'' he said.
''But at least it's sorted out the problem and it won't affect my
build-up to the Masters next month.''
After bidding for his third Portuguese Open title at Penha Longa, a
new course designed by Robert Trent-Jones Jr 15 miles west of Lisbon,
the Largs player is off to Indonesia next week, and has received an
invitation to play in the Freeport McMoran Classic in New Orleans from
April 1 to 4 before moving on to Augusta.
Torrance, now in his twenty-fourth year on tour, will be making only
his second appearance in the Masters -- reward for a 1993 during which
he won three times, more than anybody else in Europe.
He has not played since missing the cut in Thailand six weeks ago,
when he was in agony from a skin condition on a foot. ''That still has
not cleared up and I've got it strapped up, but I'm not in pain any
more,'' he said.
Torrance won the Portuguese Open at Penina in 1982 and Troia the
following year. Victory this week would not only earn him #50,000, but
also enable him to join an exclusive club which includes Prince Andrew.
The honorary membership of Penha Longa will come with the trophy and the
Duke of York was made a member when he visited the course last November.
With Barry Lane, winner of the Balearic Open in Majorca on Sunday,
resting before also going to Augusta, Torrance and Italian Costantino
Rocca are the only members of last September's Ryder Cup team taking
part.
There are, however, eight other former winners in the field -- Howard
Clark, Brian Barnes, Tony Johnstone, Robert Lee, Mike McLean, Steve
Richardson, Ronan Rafferty and holder David Gilford.
In addition to Torrance, 11 other Scots are taking part -- Gordon
Brand Jr, Bernard Gallacher, Brian Barnes, Gary Orr, Paul Lawrie, Brian
Marchbank, Adam Hunter, Ross Drummond, Stephen McAllister, Gordon
Manson, and Andrew Coltart, who has won #35,910 and is currently ranked
No.17 in Europe.
* LADYBANK'S David Downie and Stephen Gallacher, from Bathgate, are
poised to add an early exit from the Australian Centenary Amateur
championship in Sydney today to the fifth place they recorded in the
team event. Downie carded an opening round of 77 yesterday and Gallacher
an 80.
Of the 300 competitors, only 35 will qualify for the match-play stages
after the second round, which will be played over the 7000 yard Royal
Sydney Club. Home player Jason Downs leads after the first round with a
five-under-par 67.
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