Sandy quits Open after 9 holes

Shropshire golf legend Sandy Lyle became the first casualty of the dreadful conditions at the British Open today - the 1985 champion retiring after just nine holes.

Lyle had just dropped seven shots in three holes to reach the turn in 45, 11 over par for his first round, when he decided to call it quits.

The 50-year-old, playing in his 33rd Open, said: "It's probably my shortest Open ever. I got off to a miserable start and around the third or fourth hit a couple of shots which rattled my fingers and (they) went a little numb.

"I could not swing the golf club in the end and was doing myself more harm than good so decided to call it a day."

The former Hawkstone Park amateur has been working with an American physio to ease the pain in his ageing joints, but today's pain was a step too far.

Keep up to date with the latest action from the British Open in the Shropshire Star