Troon Digest:    You'd think Darren Clarke would recollect the site of what was probably the worst shot he's ever hit on a golf course. But he was struck with a form of amnesia in believing his shank off the second tee in the final round of the 1997 British Open here at Royal Troon had actually occurred on the third.

"When I got on the second tee on Saturday," recalled Clarke of his first practice round, which was earlier than planned after he missed the cut at the Scottish Open, "I thought, 'I didn't shank it here', because the beach was so far away, so I knew it was the next tee."

On being told that shot was actually on the second tee (he suffered a double-bogey six in finishing with a 71 for nine under par, three shots behind the winner, Justin Leonard), Clarke quipped, "Gosh, it was a much worse shot than I thought."

Maybe it's a good thing for Clarke to exorcise that memory but, overall, his memories of 1997 are positive. "I've got better memories of this course than any other. I think it's very fair. If you hit a tee shot down the middle of the fairway, 99 per cent of the time the ball is going to finish on the fairway . . . I think it's a very fair and tough test.

"I got huge support here in 1997, the crowds were roaring and supporting me as much as they could . . . I just didn't play well enough to win it, but I want to get myself back up there again this week."

Clarke has been getting advice from Aston Villa manager David O'Leary - his house guest for the week - who advised him to work hard early in the week and ease off as the tournament approaches to conserve energy. So Clarke played full practice rounds on Saturday and Sunday, confined himself to the practice ground on Monday, and played only nine holes yesterday with plans for a further nine today.

Garcia has top-10 form

Only one player has enjoyed a top-10 finish in each of the last three British Opens. Spain's Sergio Garcia tied for ninth in 2001, was tied-eighth in 2002 and was tied-10th a year ago.

Weiskopf revisits scene

Tom Weiskopf will be playing his first event since missing the cut at the 1996 US Open when he competes this week at the scene of his only major win, the 1973 British Open. Weiskopf, a noted course designer, last played in the Open at St Andrews in 1995, missing the cut.

Yesterday, he played a practice round with Tiger Woods. "It was neat," said Woods. "I'd never played a round of golf with Tom before and we had an absolute blast. I was just on the receiving end, just listening to his stories and soaking it all up . . . and to hear how he's hitting the ball farther now, at 61, than he did when he won the Open."

Els boasts ominous stats

Phil Mickelson (win, second), Ernie Els (second, tied-ninth) and Chris DiMarco (tied-sixth, tied-ninth) are the only players to have finished inside the top 10 in the first two majors of the season, the US Masters and the US Open. Els goes one better as the only one to record top-10s in his last three majors. He also tied for fifth at last year's US PGA.

Bookies relegate Woods

Tiger Woods is only second favourite for the British Open, according to bookmakers. And if Woods wins the Open, Paddy Power will refund all losing outright bets on the tournament.

Ireland's Padraig Harrinton is 22/1 and Darren Clarke 33/1.

BETTING: Ernie Els 13/2; Tiger Woods 7/1; Retief Goosen, Phil Mickelson, Sergio Garcia 14/1; Vijay Singh 16/1; Padraig Harrington 22/1; Davis Love 28/1; Darren Clarke, Adam Scott, Stephen Ames 33/1.

Qualifiers debate goes on

The new qualifying system for the Open has been a hot topic of debate - and not just over the snub by 53 US Tour players who pulled out of the 36-hole tournament in Washington. Some European Tour players did not like being asked to get from the French Open to Sunningdale for an early start the next morning, while a number of club professionals grumbled that they have less chance of playing in the Open now.

However, the Royal and Ancient's Michael Tate points out that eight players survived both local and final qualifying to make it into the starting line-up at Royal Troon and that is more than for many years.

Evans gets unexpected call

Club professional Neil Evans was called into the Open Championship yesterday when European Tour player Warren Bennett withdrew injured. The 27-year-old from the Greetham Valley course in Rutland came through regional qualifying in fourth place at Hollinwell last Monday and then won a play-off for the third reserve spot at Turnberry Kintyre, disappointed he had not quite made it into the Royal Troon field. But first Australian Mark Hensby turned down his exempt spot from winning the John Deere Classic in Illinois on Sunday and then Japan's Toshi Izawa pulled out injured.