“We all thought there was a code of conduct in our rule book, and if that’s not a breach, or bringing the game into disrepute, I don’t know what is. I’m sure even the committee think it was a breach, but for some reason they don’t want to act on it.”Having regained some form before the Open at St Andrews next week, Faldo is determined not to be distracted. After one of his best rounds of the year, he was in jovial mood. Asked if he had any advice for one of his playing partners, Adam Scott, the 19-year-old Australian, Faldo said: “Not today, it’s not allowed. Or have we got rid of that rule as well? Have they got rid of the whole rule book?”Scott, who has just turned professional, scored a 66, as did the third member of the group, Tom Lehman.

Faldo and Lehman were not the first major champions Scott has played with “Greg, Tiger, Bernhard, Jose,” Scott listed. That’s Norman, Woods, Langer and Olazabal to the less precocious.”He hasn’t watched any Tiger Woods videos, has he? Not many,” Faldo said of Scott. “Tiger has set an incredible standard and these guys are trying to emulate him He is going to drive all these kids to a new level Thank God I’m retiring.”Not that Faldo is finished yet. The putts started going in again at Pebble Beach, where he finished seventh in the US Open, and Ernie Els, who scored a 69 yesterday, was impressed with Faldo in a practice round. “I played with Ernie because I wanted to copy his rhythm,” Faldo said.”I’ve been working hard on all those factors, timing, balance and rhythm, and it’s starting to come back.

I’m beginning to shape shots and commit myself more.”Begay, who played alongside Woods at Stanford University, has not lost since Pebble Beach. He won back-to-back in America, making four victories in less than two years on the US Tour.Neither of the victory celebrations was too wild as he is not allowed to drink alcohol for a year. This is not due to his Native American background but because he was convicted of drunk-driving earlier this year and spent a week in jail.This was only Begay’s second round on the course and he thought his lack of familiarity cost him a few shots Goosen scored a 62 in 1997, the course record. Conditions were benign but Colin Montgomerie did not take advantage. The defending champion’s putts failed to drop during a 70.Monty had previously kept out of the James-Faldo affair, but revealed yesterday he is one of the few people to have read the book. “It’s not that controversial,” he said.”I agree with Mark that actually it is quite funny One remark has been blown up. Faldo said things about me before the Ryder Cup which I could have taken forward but didn’t Nick seems very unhappy.

Hopefully, a 67 will make him happier.”* A mystery bidder at a charity auction in Dublin yesterday paid IR £1.4m (£1.1m sterling) to play a round with Woods. The bidder will join Woods and Mark O’Meara for 18 holes later this year in Florida. The auction was held on Tuesday after the Limerick pro-am organised by J P McManus.FIRST-ROUND SCORES FROM LOCH LOMOND(GB or Irl unless stated)65 N Begay (US), R Goosen (SA) 66 A Scott (Aus), T Lehman (US), S Allan (Aus) 67 P U Johansson (Swe), S Leaney (Aus), N Faldo, P Lawrie, P Price, J Sandelin (Swe) 68 J Senden (Aus), B Teilleria (Fr), R Claydon, G Ogilvy (Aus), P Quirici (Swit), P Mickelson (US), P Nyman (Swe) 69 I Garrido (Sp), G Day (US), D Howell, A Forsyth, R Coles, C Hanell (Swe), *M Kuchar (US), R Green (Aus), N O’Hern (Aus), B May (US), J Moseley (Aus), B Rumford (Aus), E Els (SA), G Orr, R Russell, M Lanner (Swe), M Lafeber (Neth), T Levet (Fr) 70 A Forsbrand (Swe), P Baker, J Coceres (Arg), I Woosnam, J M Olazabal (Sp), S Gallacher, *D Gossett (US), J Carter (US), D Park, B Mayfair (US), D Duval (US), C Montgomerie, M Campbell (NZ), J Spence, J Robinson 71 I Pyman, S Kjeldsen (Den), G Sherry, A Coltart, D Waldorf (US), E Canonica (It), B Lane, *M Ilonen (Fin), H Otto (SA), P Golding, D Borrego (Sp), D Smyth, J Berendt (Arg), P Eales 72 D Lynn, J Lomas, S Lyle, A Cabrera (Arg), M McNulty (Zim), Yeh Wei-tze (Taiw), D De Vooght (Bel), B Dredge, P Lonard (Aus), G Rojas (Arg), D Hospital (Sp), A Wall, E Romero (Arg), D Robertson, B Davis, P Sjoland (Swe), M Farry (Fr), T Gogele (Ger), P Mitchell, D Cooper, O Edmond (Fr), R Winchester, A Hansen (Den), C Hainline (US) 73 F Lindgren (Swe), R Wessels (SA), M James, M A Jimenez (Sp), R Muntz (Neth), G Hutcheon, G Turner (NZ), C Suneson (Sp), D Carter, A Cejka (Ger), S Webster, P Affleck, G Nicklaus (US), S Scahill (NZ), D Gilford, A McLardy (SA) 74 S Struver (Ger), D Frost (SA), G Brand Jnr, M Brier (Aut), R Johnson (Swe), I Poulter, M Mackenzie, T Bjorn (Den), W Riley (Aus), G Owen, I Garbutt, K Storgaard (Den) 75 R Gonzalez (Arg), P Senior (Aus), J Bickerton, S Hansen (Den), R McFarlane, J Rivero (Sp), M Scarpa (It), J Parnevik (Swe), L Parsons (Aus), R Davis (Aus), S Luna (Sp), R Jacquelin (Fr) 76 R Byrd (US), P Fulke (Swe), M Jonzon (Swe), V Phillips, S Torrance 77 G Emerson, P Fowler (Aus), G Evans, E Darcy 78 J F Remesy (Fr) 79 M Davis, C Rocca (It) 80 J Skold (Swe)Retired MA Martin (Sp), R Rafferty Withdrew P McGinley* Denotes amateur. The Welsh Rugby Union wants Iestyn Harris for the code’s World Cup Sevens in Buenos Aires next January. The Welsh Rugby Union wants Iestyn Harris for the code’s World Cup Sevens in Buenos Aires next January.
The captain of Leeds and the Welsh rugby league side has been a target in the past, but the WRU merely wants to borrow him for a couple of weeks this time.The Welsh sevens coach, Colin Hillman, believes that Harris would be an important addition to his squad.

He has not included him in his initial squad, but is prepared to add him at a later date.”The only things standing in the way is whether or not he wishes to play for us and whether or not Leeds would let him,” Hillman said.It would be Harris’s second World Cup in three months as he is due to captain Wales in league’s Lincoln World Cup in October and November. He could also have a taste of union sevens before then as Leeds rugby league players are to join forces with the Leeds Tykes for the Middlesex Sevens at Twickenham next month.Leeds feared at one stage that they might lose their leading player to the WRU on a permanent basis, but he signed a new long-term contract earlier this year.Chris Holland, the Oldham second-row banned until the end of January for the tackle that ended the career of Widnes’ New Zealand international forward, George Mann, has had an extra month added to his ban after taking it to appeal. He is now banned until 1 March after the appeals panel heard details of the elbowing offence for which he had been punished.Oldham have lost another player from the team to play Doncaster in the Northern Ford Premiership semi-final on Sunday. Their centre, Anthony Gibbons, has been banned for two matches after being sent off against Featherstone.The NFP is to consider the issue of home advantage when it plans next year’s play-off formula. Keighley have complained about being disadvantaged in this year’s series.. The blood ties run very deep at Bath Rugby Club, even when some of that blood has been shed in public.