Colin Byrne caddie to Paul LawrieCADDIE'S ROLE: As the "Cinderella Story" was unfolding for Malcolm Mackenzie in the French Open just over a week ago, as ever on the European Tour there was an equally tragic tale going on at the other end of the leader board.

A first win after two decades as a pro and over 500 starts in Europe was indeed a fairy tale for the Englishman. Olle Karlsson had a week more like Malcolm was accustomed to. Another missed cut.

Olle the Swede became instantly recognisable on Tour when he arrived in 1993 with his bustling walk and funny, high-pitched voice. He has always been an easy target for a cheap laugh on tour. You always know how Olle is feeling, because he innocently lets everyone know how and what he is thinking. Unlike most people on tour who keep their thoughts until you are well out of earshot.

He was unfortunate enough to be paired with the dour Geoffrey Boycott in a pro-am in England some years back. The amiable and enthusiastic Olle introduced himself and explained to the critical ex-cricketer who he was, where he came from and that he had finished 50th on the previous year's order of merit.

Boycott was quick to retort that he had never heard of him, had never visited Sweden and if he himself had finished 50th in anything he wouldn't be telling anyone about it. Poor Olle had been so proud of his achievement. Nothing like a dose of north of England reality to bring you back down to earth.

Olle was going through another slump when he arrived in Paris a couple of weeks back. He opened his tournament with a 79 and apparently whinged his way around the course.

His caddie, unbeknownst to Olle, had booked himself on the next available flight out of Paris that night, he wasn't waiting around for another day of grievous bodily harm to the earhole. Enough was enough, he had listened to that piercing, moaning drone of Karlsson's all year long, it was cold and wet and there was little prospect of a cheque out of the French Open.

The forfeited wages obviously outweighed the thought of listening to Olle for another day.

Olle arrived at the course on Friday and realised he was now minus a caddie. He asked a bagless toter to work for him, explaining that his previous caddie had abandoned him.

Off the new team went to the range to prepare for the second round. During his warm-up Olle asked his new caddie if he could look at his swing and tell him what he thought. No problem, the new caddie said,thinking it a bit odd that the Swede should seek swing advice from a guy he just met that morning. Golfers will resort to anything when they reach the apparent bottom of the murky golf abyss.

OLLE explained that not only had his caddie left him, but his coach had abandoned him the week before and he was really struggling with his swing. So after a few positive comments from the caddie they headed for the first tee.

As they went in search of their ball down the first Olle explained sheepishly that not only had his coach left him and his caddie dumped him mid-tournament, but that he would really like him to chat to him all the way around the course because he was feeling really low. "Why are you so depressed?" the new caddie inquired. To which Olle replied with a protruding lower lip that his girlfriend had also left him the week before, just before the coach.

The high-pitched voice, the ungainly gait and the litany of desertions, the new caddie could only chuckle to himself about the depths Olle had sunk to, the whole scene was becoming tragically comic.

During the round Olle let it be known that, quite understandably, he had not slept very well, and somehow as a result his back was feeling weak. He didn't know if he could carry on. No sooner had he mentioned this than his playing partner, Mark Roe decided that at 20 over par and after another wayward shot he was going to head for the clubhouse.

It was Olle and Paul Eales left. A dark cloud descended over the French National golf course, Olle's back was sore, he was going to miss the cut, he was extremely unhappy, he didn't want to get wet and he wanted to go home. He quickly reassured Paul Eales with a pained expression that he was definitely not going to abandon him as he knew "what it felt like to be left alone".