Ryder Cup hero Philip Walton looked back on five years in the doldrums yesterday and confessed: It's been a nightmare.

The hero of Oak Hill in 1995 opened with a 74 at the K Club with former Republic Ireland striker Niall Quinn on his bag.

But the Dubliner revealed that his bad luck goes back to an incident in South Africa in 1996 that shattered his confidence.

Walton was disqualified in the third round of the Dimension Data Pro-Am for signing a wrong score in the second round.

He said: "I've missed out at the tour school for the past four years but things have changed since the Ryder Cup in '95

"My game is as good or better than back then. The difference is in the head - it just switched off.

"The year after the Ryder Cup I played steady. But then in South Africa something happened. I was disqualified, lying second and I haven't got over it. It's a long story.

"I'm not blaming that for what has happened to me but ever since that moment it's been tough."

In the second round in Sun City, Walton played a wrong ball and then played from the wrong place when trying to rectify his mistake.

The second two-shot penalty had not been included on his card and he was disqualified for signing for a wrong score when the error was discovered the next day.

One of the quiet men on tour, the Dubliner hated the hype and fame surrounding the Ryder Cup.

But he insists that it was his lack of confidence that caused him to crash out of sight in the late 90s.

He said: "I'm a quiet guy anyway, and I don't really like the lights. I just lost my confidence with a certain shot.

"I didn't want the limelight. But I've watched the video of the Ryder Cup once or twice and my hands still sweat when I watch it.

"The last time I saw it was two years ago. We were going through the videos at home and the kids were putting on Arnie or something like that."

Yesterday Walton played steadily from tee to green but had no luck on the greens, despite getting some help reading them from gangling caddie Quinn.

Starting at the tenth, he reached the turn in one over but holed from 20 feet at the second to get back to level before his putter went cold.

He said: "I had chances at the third and fourth but didn't take them and then dropped one at the fifth when just missed the green and missed a six footer.

"Then I three-putted from 15 feet at the seventh. I played well put had 34 or 35 putts but had a lot of putts shaving the hole."

Quinn was happy with is debut as a caddie, despite a sleepless night worrying that he might make the same mistake that cost Ian Woosnam in the Open in 2001.

He said: "I counted the clubs ten times before we went out. I was counting them in my sleep last night.

"I was aware of the Woosie thing but it was a great experience. If he hits the ball as well and a couple of putts go in he will be okay. He needs to play all four rounds."

And Walton appeared to be happy with Quinn's contribution.

He joked: "He's a good lad. The best caddie I have had all year. But I couldn't afford him every week. So far so good, we are still on speaking terms.

"He kept me going and picked a few clubs for me we didn't get many clubs wrong between us.

"He's quite good at reading lines. On the last I just missed from 20 feet. He said it was off the left and I said it would be straight. In the end it just missed on the right, so he was spot on."

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© Brian Keogh 2003

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