Legends Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player went head to head on the golf course yesterday ­ over Ian Woosnam's Open cock-up.

Playing a practice round with Player, Tom Wargo and Larry Laoretti, Nicklaus came down firmly on the side of caddie Myles Byrne.

But Player disagreed. "What are you paying the guy for?" asked the 65 year-old South African. "I blame the caddie. The bag's the caddie's responsibility."

But Nicklaus didn't agree. He said: "I feel terrible for Woosie. I didn't see any of it because I was in Italy with my wife Barbara and they didn't show the Open on Italian TV but in my opinion the caddie has zero blame. "You pay the guy to carry the bag and help you with distances but that's it. The player is ultimately responsible. Sure, if my caddie Scottie has too many clubs in the bag I'll get mad at him because I always count them myself before every round.

"It's not a team sport and they don't pay you and the caddie as a team," added the American. Joked Nicklaus: "Are you going to pay your caddie 50 percent of what you win this week? You bet you're not."

Added Player's caddie with a grin: "If I ever make him play a wrong ball I'm heading for Alaska, man, never gonna set foot on a golf course again."

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© Brian Keogh 2001

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