Golf: Daly's not for dallying

JOHN DALY, the hard-hitting American, yesterday displayed his awesome driving power while fine tuning his game for the Open, writes Tim Glover from Sandwich. Daly drove the 420-yard fifth hole, his ball finishing four feet from the flag. The Royal and Ancient insists that the draw for the Open, which begins tomorrow, is not manipulated. But interestingly, Daly and Ian Woosnam, two of the longest hitters, are together, as they were during the US Open at Baltusrol last month.

The three-ball is completed by the Irishman David Feherty. 'That's not a draw,' Feherty said. 'I'm playing on my own. I'll be so outdriven they'll probably ask me to play through.'

William Guy, a 25-year-old Scottish professional, has the honour of hitting the first ball off the first tee tomorrow. Guy will swing his driver at 7.15am. 'I won't be nervous,' he insisted. 'Not at that time in the morning.'

Nick Faldo, the defending champion, tees off with Mark Calcavecchia, who won the Open at Royal Troon in 1989, and Steve Elkington. Their tee times are 8.50am in the first round and 1.20pm in the second. 'Perfect,' Faldo said. 'It couldn't be better.'

Sandy Lyle, who won here in 1985, plays with the Australian Ian Baker- Finch, a former Open champion, and the American Scott Simpson, a former US Open champion. Another crowd-pulling three-ball is Jack Nicklaus with Jose-Maria Olazabal and Mark James. Luck of the draw?