Quality field has to cope with water hazards

Players in the Barclays Scottish Open, should they actually get out on the course this morning, will be reminded of the definition of "casual water" prior to the first round. Only in golf is such a definition necessary, presumably to distinguish it from formal, smart-casual or, horror of horrors, down right scruffy water.

On the boggy banks of Loch Lomond, newly designated as Scotland's first national park, water is all too casual with rainfall up by 50 per cent on the average for the first six months of the year. After a particularly torrential last month and a half, the tournament might not be taking place at all were it not for the 10,000 tonnes of sand brought in from Alloa and the relaying of 7,000 squared metres of turf so far this year, most notably on the 10th and 15th fairways.

It is an unfortunate circumstance for a leading tournament boasting a quality field in the week prior to the Open Championship at Muirfield. A Monday finish, which so far has been unnecessary in the seven years of the Scottish Open, has not been ruled out as the venues are only a couple of hours apart but there are further complications.

Final Qualifying for the Open takes place on Sunday and Monday. Anyone making the cut, due to fall on Friday evening, has to make an immediate decision whether to attempt to earn one of the exemptions on offer here or try his luck in the qualifying. Any delays will add to the confusion.

"I played nine holes on Tuesday evening and if it was a tournament I don't think we would have been playing," admitted Colin Montgomerie.

John Paramor, the chief referee, said the forecast was better for Friday and Saturday. "By which I mean the showers will be less heavy," he added. "We'll need to get the prayer mats out." Told by course superintendent Ken Siems that he has had his out since January, Paramor joked: "You haven't been doing very well, then."

All 18 greens were relaid 18 months ago but in continual rain it is possible that the fairways will be so saturated there will be nowhere to drop from casual water. "I will be reminding the players of the definition of casual water, which is water seen lying around a ball or around the feet while standing still in the normal stance," said Paramor. "It is not when water comes up when standing firmly on one foot. It is probably we will allow the players to prefer their lies within one club length."

Between the showers, Brad Faxon, the visiting American, refuted criticism from former players about the perceived lack of competition to Tiger Woods. "This may be controversial but I laugh at these guys like Player, Nicklaus and Palmer that say we don't have good enough players stepping up to Tiger," Faxon said. "I think it is ridiculous. If Tiger was playing when those guys were, Jack wouldn't have 18 majors and Arnold and Gary wouldn't have as many as they have because Tiger is better than anyone who has ever played. I think there is some jealousy."