Vegas gambles on borrowed clubs after landing with minutes to spare
V enezuela’s Jhonattan Vegas took things to the wire yesterday, playing with borrowed clubs after visa issues held up his arrival on course. Oh, and did we mention how he arrived? The golfer endured a nightmare journey from Houston to Toronto to Glasgow to Carnoustie, with the last leg of the journey completed by helicopter as he sought to make it in time for 9am registration. He then managed only 15 minutes on the range before heading out at 10:31am, with playing partners Tony Finau and Xander Schauffele. He ended up shooting a perhaps understandable five-over-par 76. The last sporting story from this area involving a helicopter we can remember is Jim Duffy heading from Dundee to Edinburgh to be unveiled as Hibernian manager in 1997.
That didn’t end so well either, we seem to recall.
A lthough he hails from faraway Southendon-sea, Matthew Southgate is a member of Carnoustie Golf Club on account of a birthday present from his dad when he turned 16 years old. Despite the distance, the relationship is a deep one – Southgate has even played some matches for the club. Hence why many marshals on the course yesterday were sporting tangerine-coloured wristbands.
Southgate himself has resumed his golf career after overcoming testicular cancer while his niece, Hattie Seymour, was diagnosed with leukemia four years ago. Carnoustie marshals have clubbed together to make a donation to Hattie’s Heroes, a charity supporting children with cancer in Southend-on-sea. Southgate was presented with a four-figure sum after his impressive open- ing round of 69 yesterday. If ever there was a reminder that golf is about more than just birdies and pars… t was a good day for footballer spotting yesteriday.
Former Dundee team-mates Steven Tweed and Robert Douglas were in early and caught the end of Sandy Lyle’s round. Arbroath manager Dick Campbell was also expected on the course. Hope someone reminded him to rein in the language. Another member of Dundee footballing glitterati Jocky Scott was following Tiger Woods – he had left old Dens Park pal Archie Knox in the stand at the 18th. Before anyone accuses the diary of bias to one side of the street, Dundee United’s Sam Stanton was also on site – trying to put his side’s 1-0 Betfred Cup defeat by Ross County on Tuesday behind him.