More mist shots as Douglas tops bill

They were two hours late getting underway at Carnoustie, forcing BBC television commentators Gary Lineker and Alan Hansen to leave after 14 holes in order to get to Ipswich in time for the their UEFA Cup tie with Helsingborgs.

Four-handicapper Lineker, who was four under with Luton pro Ian Poulter, said: "It's a shame as I was playing well."

Hansen, who plays off two, and pro Mikael Lundberg were also four under.

The delayed start did, however, give Oscar-winning film star Michael Douglas time to get acquainted with his pro team-mate, Irishman Darren Clarke.

With a top prize of over half a million pounds and the Volvo European Order of Merit at stake, the last thing Clarke needed was to be in the company of one of the world's most famous actors. For while the presence of Douglas caused a distracting posse of television crews, photographers and film fans to surround his group, the Ryder Cup star's principle rival for European No1 title was competing over the same rolling links in relative anonymity.

South Africa's Retief Goosen, the US Open champion managed to persuade tournament organisers to pair him with his brother Francois.

With just four tournaments left in the season-long chase for an Order of Merit decided on accumulated prize money, the advantage was clearly with Goosen who held a handy £439,065.89 lead over Clarke before today's opening round.

Clarke needs to pocket the winner's cheque for £560,000 on Sunday and hope Goosen's challenge is blown away by the gales forecast for this weekend if he is to make a major cut into his lead, but he hardly made the best of starts.

With Goosen having birdied the parfour first, Clarke sliced his opening drive on to the neighbouring 16th fairway after his hands slipped on a wet grip.

It was an embarrassment that was topped, quite literally, by team-mate Douglas. He may be confident when addressing the camera, but the star of Wall Street and Traffic was clearly nervous addressing the ball before a large gallery, and it showed when he topped his drive 20 yards left and out of bounds through a chain link fence.

Having dropped a shot at the first, Clarke clawed it back with a birdie three at the fourth and then ran in three successive birdies from the 10th to move three under, one ahead of Goosen with five holes of the first round to play.

Leading the team event on nine under was Clay Walker. The American country music legend is making his first trip outside of America, and perhaps reflecting what this tournament is all about, he shed a tear when he stood on the first tee of the Old Course.