Jack Nicklaus outsmarted himself at Royal County Down yesterday. But the Golden Bear is still stalking his first British Seniors Open title after a one under par opening round of 70.

The 61 year old got off to the perfect start with an eagle three at the first but then got caught out at the 17th where he was bunkered off the tee after attempting to play safely short of a water hazard.

Forced to splash out on the fairway, short of a small pond, Nicklaus eventually fired his third shot to 15 feet but missed the par putt to go back to one under.

Said the 18 times Major winner: "I made a mental error on 17 and paid the price for it. Usually I don't make mental errors but this time I found a bunker off the tee that I didn't know existed.

"I'd hit three wood there every day but with less wind against today I hit a four wood a little right and there were two bunkers there I had never noticed. That was a mental error.

"I figured I'd learned a lot about the course but there you go, with seaside golf there are different shots every day but I'm not going to beat myself up over it. I never beat myself up over a bad shot and never went home to beat up the wife either. She's beat me up a few time all right but what happened is done with and you can't change it.

"I think 70 is not a bad opening round when you see it up there on the scoreboard it's a pretty good score. I think I played better than that and given the start that I had I should have done better than that but I just made one mental error. It was a surprise and I don't usually get surprises but if the wind turns around I'm sure I'll find lots more bunkers that I don't know about."

In rough off the tee a the par five, 528-yard 18th, Nicklaus was forced to blast a five iron past the fairway traps and then hit a trapped six iron 166 yards to the small green for a two-putt par.

Admitted Nicklaus: "Played it nicely. It was a very nice shot. Hooded it and played a little hook into the wind. But it's such an awkward hole, you don't really know what to do. Last couple of days I hit terrific drives up there and felt I could knock it on the green and I haven't finished the hole either day.

"Hit the ball to the left and if you hit the ball left you may as well go to the clubhouse or the airline booth and get a ticket home because you just can't hit it there.

"Unless I drive the ball far enough to where I could play an iron into that green which means the wind would have to come behind me a bit, I would hit iron off the tee.

"I hit a three iron off the tee, not hit it well but in the rough, had a bad lie in the rough and did well to thread it between the fairway traps. I jut hooded a six iron into the wind for my third and played it very well but I enjoyed today. The people were great and I played some nice shots and they showed their appreciation."

Despite his troubles at the 17th, Nicklaus thoroughly enjoyed the novelty of playing links golf again.

He said: "I enjoy this kind of golf, the variety of shot you have to play. Trying to punch the ball, squirt the ball, run the ball, hook the ball, cut the ball or hit it up in the air and do all kinds of things."

Sixteen years since his last Major victory, Nicklaus has had to come to terms with his physical limitations but he does it with humour. "Everything hurts but when you get older ­ sometimes between the ears too ­ but you learn to accommodate. I don't play as well as I used to play but this course doesn't require a lot of length."

"I got the start you'd want. Drive, three iron to 16 feet and holed the putt for eagle. After that it all went downhill," he quipped. Out in one under par 35, Nicklaus never really got going on the back nine as the wind stiffened.

He said: "I only missed one green on the front nine and made bogey at the sixth, made good pars at 10 and 11 and then got another birdie at the 12th."

The Bear used his driver at the 479 yard par-five 12th and was left with no more than a seven-iron to the green but could only watch as the ball kicked left into a valley from where he two putted for his birdie. A bogey five at the 13th, where his second shot kicked left behind a bunker, saw him go back to one under par for the round before pulled it back at the 276 yard 16th where he drove the green and two putted from the back fringe for a three.

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© Brian Keogh 2001

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