Nightmare 10 for Lyle
Playing six shots left-handed and taking 10 on one hole was not quite what Sandy Lyle had in mind for his return to the Volvo Masters at Valderrama today.
Invited to take part as a past champion in the European Tour’s season-ending tournament, Lyle negotiated the first four holes in level par, but then came to grief on the 381-yard next.
The 49-year-old Scot, whose last victory came in the event 15 years ago when he beat Colin Montgomerie in a play-off, pulled his drive right up against one of the many cork trees on the Costa del Sol course.
Lyle decided his best option was to try to knock the ball back onto the fairway left-handed – and when unsuccessful with his attempt tried again. And again and again and again and again.
“For whatever reason he chose not to take a penalty drop – horrific,” said the scorer counting the shots.
Eventually the former Open and Masters champion walked off the green with a sextuple bogey and by dropping further strokes on the seventh and eighth turned in an eight over par 43.
