Ian Baker-Finch, who won the 1991 Open at Royal Birkdale with one of the greatest displays of shot-making ever seen in that august event, will not be back in Lancashire when the championship returns there this year.

The Australian, who has suffered one of the severest slumps the game has seen, said yesterday: "It has been my dream to go back to the place where I had the greatest moment of my golfing life, but I have now decided against it. I might have been at Royal Birkdale this year had it not been for Royal Troon last year."

Baker-Finch was referring to his come-back attempt in Scotland which ended in ignominy. He took 92 in the first round, and withdrew. When he won his championship, he went to the turn in the final round in 29, disposing of all challengers, and came home comfortably to win what has been his only major championship.

Although he performed creditably for the remainder of that year, his game departed abruptly the following season, as he attempted to play through injuries and illness. Soon his confidence was completely shattered and it soon became news when he succeeded in making a cut.

He continued to play in the Open, though, through his exemption as a former champion, but at St Andrews in 1995 he embarrassed himself and his friends when he drove out of bounds on the left off the first tee - almost 100 yards off line. In the next round he was almost out of bounds again, this time on the right.

The extraordinary thing is that Baker-Finch, one of the most likeable men in the game, continues to play superb golf out of competition. Yesterday, playing at a Greg Norman-designed golf course on Queensland's Gold Coast, he had nine birdies and no bogeys in a game with friends.

But it was golf like that prior to Royal Troon which persuaded Baker-Finch to play in last year's championship. He was on a golfing holiday in Ireland and getting round courses like Royal Portrush and Royal County Down under par, and taking the money off keen, but friendly, opposition.

Now, though, he no longer deludes himself that such games mean anything when it comes to playing well in championships, and it is probable that his days of playing in the Open are over.

Helen Alfredsson still suffers from the hip surgery she underwent last year. But the Swede still has a spring in her early season step after a 68 to lie one shot behind Met Mallon in yesterday's first round of The Office Depot tournament in Florida.