Sandys lends a sense of perspective

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The seaside town of St Andrews is rich in golfing heritage. This, after all, is the hallowed home of the Royal and Ancient game.

Upon the occasion of the inaugural Dunhill Links Championship, however, the place is simply rich.

Millionaires are deferring to billionaires this week, and owners of modest helicopters like Nigel Mansell have been gazing in wonder at the huge whirlybird bearing the helmet-badge of the Miami Dolphins that has been buzzing along the Fife coastline.

Both the aircraft and the American football team are owned by Wayne Huizenga, who is so wealthy he could afford the whole of Scotland were it to come on the market-So it was especially nice to see Omar Sandys lend a sense of perspective to the tournament today.

While Mansell and Huizenga are competitors in the 'Am' section of this unique Pro-Am competition, Sandys was fighting to stay in touch with the leaders in the professional division which offers a staggering first prize of £560,000.

That kind of money is alien to Sandys. One of seven children fathered by a mechanic at a gold mine in the South African town of Welkom, 24-year-old Sandys had never even owned a new set of golf clubs before Ryder Cup stars Darren Clarke and Lee Westwood sponsored his entry to the English Open in June.

Now he is back in Britain to compete in the Links Championship. And after ending the first day sharing the lead on seven under par with his rather more famous countryman, Ernie Els, Sandys maintained his challenge during a second round again blighted by poor weather.