Dunhill Links Championship: Normally, in a pro-am, the luck of the draw has amateurs envying other amateurs in a plum pairing.

This time, it was the other way round. And Ronan Rafferty, the professional, was the envy of his fellow tour players after being paired with supermodel Jodie Kidd for the first three rounds of the Dunhill Links.

"Jodie was a great girl. She was a bit nervous because she hadn't played in too many serious competitions," said Rafferty, a one-time winner of the European Tour money list but who nowadays spends as much time as a television pundit.

"But it's in my nature to talk to people in that situation and she ended up very relaxed and keen to play well." So, what does one talk to a supermodel about, Ronan? "Wine!"

"Actually, we talked about a lot of things on the course . . . but we have a common love of good wines, which I was happy to tell her about because I've got not a bad collection at home. She's not collecting wines herself but was very keen to learn about that. I think we got on very well. I think it's fair to say she became one of the boys today."

Kidd's first dip into the pro-am circuit didn't indicate that too many prizes would beckon, not immediately anyway. After the first round, the team total of three under at Carnoustie left them in 102nd place.

However, the model remarked: "Ronan was a nice, nice guy. Although he made me nervous as soon as I met him by saying to me, 'so, what bad thing have you done to get the punishment of playing with me?' Then he proceeded to tell me he's recently had surgery on his thumb." To be sure, it would seem that Rafferty made an impression.

Amateurs with greater hopes of landing the top prize, however, include two of Ireland's top businessmen.

Dermot Desmond partnered Darren Clarke and they finished the first day in tied-seventh (of 168 teams) on nine under par. Playing in the same fourball was JP McManus - renewing his winning partnership of a year ago with Padraig Harrington - who finished on seven under, in tied-18th place.

"These boys are great," insisted Clarke. "We've known them for a long time, and because of that it is easy . . . they are mad into golf. JP played fantastic, unreal, and Dermot played well on the holes he came in on."

McManus contributed two birdies - nett eagles - on two par fives, the sixth and 12th, at Carnoustie. "Tee to green, that's got to be the round of JP's life," insisted Harrington.

However, if there is to be a repeat Irish win in the team event, some work has to be done: Frank Keener and his South African professional Doug McGuigan led the way after the first round on 12 under par.