Early bird Des Smyth will get the Open under way at Muirfield tomorrow.

The 49-year-old is the first man out for the second year on the trot in what could be his last Open.

Smyth will tee it off with former Ryder Cup player Peter Baker and South African qualifier James Kingston at seven o'clock.

But he's disappointed that Baker will be the man to hit the very first shot of the Championship he loves the most.

Said Des: "I love this week. I'm 49 and delighted to be playing in this tournament. Last year I was very excited about it because I came through the qualifying. It's a little different when you are exempt because I had a buzz going from the beginning last year, but I'm delighted with the draw.

"If someone had said, 'what time do you want?', I'd have said seven o'clock because you can be lucky on this golf course. When we got here this morning at nine there wasn't a breath of wind.

"But you know what it can be like. You get out there and slip in a nice 69 and if it's blowing hard in the afternoon it looks like a fantastic score."

But not being the first man to hit could be a good omen for the man form Mornington in Co Louth.

Last year Smyth went off in the first group and went on to finish 13th in the end to clinch his exemption for this week.

But now he is nostalgic about what could be the last of 22 appearances in the Major every Irishman wants to win.

"Is this my last Open? I don't know. I'm going Senior next year and pre-qualifying is probably too gruelling now. I've had to qualify many times but when you move on to the Seniors, you're playing tournaments every week I might even have to go back to a regional, I don't know."

Smyth teamed up with Paul McGinley in practice yesterday as Irish pair beat Carl Pettersson and Jose Coceres by 4 and 3 in a friendly affair.

But the talk after his round turned quickly to memories of 21 previous Open appearances and his fourth place finish at Troon in 1982.

"Troon had to be the highlight because I finished so close. But there are different highlights for different players. I mean at Birkdale in 1998 I holed a 12-foot putt to get exempt for Carnoustie and I can't tell you how excited I was about that.

"Last year was the same. The fact that I opened with a 74 and got it into the top 15. When I shot 74 I was lying 110 to get form there to tied 13th you walk off feeling pretty good about that. I've had great times."

Nerves don't usually affect Smyth but with his game in a delicate state he may feel a little pressure tomorrow.

"It's only nerve wracking when you haven't confidence in your game. In Troon I was playing very well so I didn't feel nervous at all. You feel nervous if your game isn't there. And you know you are fighting with the uncertainty that something might go wrong.

"But if you are out there in control of your game you can get very comfortable. Last year I felt great because I was on top of my game and in fact, in the last round I shot my best round of the week. It was only a 71 but it was a very easy 71."

Wind would make Muirfield a stern test but Smyth no longer feels that his upbringing on the links at Baltray gives him an edge over the field

"Years ago there was something in that," he said. "But the standard of play now is so high and the way the players are practicing so hard. They are worldwide players now and are use to all kinds of conditions. The Aussies play in windy conditions all the time. So you could say they have a huge advantage."

Mild conditions have made Muirfield surprisingly easy in practice so far this week but Smyth expects that to change.

"It doesn't seem difficult because it hasn't blown. But the rough is just horrendous and because you aren't blown into it on every shot you are not in it that often.

"But at the moment it is definitely there for scoring. The greens are receptive and not that fast, there's going to be low scoring in my opinion.

"I'm just happy to be here and I'm going to enjoy it."

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© Brian Keogh 2002

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