Lyle tells of problem that led to infamous walk-off

Nerve-end problem left ex-champion close to ‘chucking clubs in the trash’

It cost him the respect of his peers at the time and possibly even any chance of becoming a Ryder Cup captain, and Sandy Lyle has revealed his infamous 2008 Royal Birkdale walk-off also came close to costing him his career.

The 1985 champion abandoned his storm-hit first round having slumped to 11-over par in 10 holes.

Then chief executive of the R&A, Peter Dawson, articulated the thoughts of many when he said: “Professional golfers should complete their rounds.”

It wasn’t a simple case of a frustrated and weather-beaten golfer deciding he’d had enough, though. The issue turned out to be far more serious.

And before he got a proper diagnosis, the Scot came close to “chucking the clubs in the trash”.

“It was the nerve ends that run in between two of my fingers that caused the problem,” he said.

“I found out what caused it in the end. My angle of attack with the irons was too steep. The right hand was getting tortured. I had it for 10 to 15 years. The cold weather didn’t help but I’d been struggling with it for a while, without making any fuss about it.

“It was sore and tender before I even practised. Even shaking hands was painful. I thought it was arthritis and I had x-rays done.

“I discovered the root of the problem about five years ago. I had to re-route the swing because that motion was twisting and banging the nerves.

“I had almost been ready to chuck the clubs, the bag and everything else in the trash.

“I did some work on the swing to get the club back in the right plane so the right hand wasn’t coming down like a hammer.

“Within a few days it helped. We did a few drills and that made all the difference and it’s not an issue now.”

Not since he lifted the Claret Jug had Lyle been as talked about at an Open as when taking his leave of Southport nine years ago. The two-time major winner believes the reaction was unfair and over the top.

“I knew I was going to be playing at Troon the next week in my first Seniors,” he said. “I was 11 over after nine holes, I was having an ugly time and I couldn’t feel my right hand. And it was only 8.30 in the morning, if that.

“I made a decision that it wasn’t worth carrying on and irritating my hand any more, meaning I couldn’t have played the next week.

“I’ve played in terrible conditions before and since. It wasn’t that.”

Lyle will last longer than 10 holes on his Birkdale return but, with only one more Open left in him after this and no great form of late, he’ll do well to last longer than 36 this week.

Greg Norman rolled back the years here, however, so Lyle isn’t without hope.

“I’m feeling dandy at the moment,” he said. “It’s a big course.

“Hopefully the weather stays nice and the ball runs a bit.”

Picture: Getty. Sandy Lyle said a swing adjustment helped solve a nerve-end problem which left him feeling his right hand was being “tortured”.