Golf: Players scramble to avoid rare egg

THE SKILL of Europe's top golfers is not normally a matter of life and death - but it may prove so when the Standard Life tournament begins here today.

As Colin Montgomerie, Lee Westwood, Nick Faldo and others reached the 18th green in practice yesterday they were treated to a rare sight - the egg of an oystercatcher bird in a bunker beside the green.

Three eggs were laid around two weeks ago, but two have now hatched and bird lovers everywhere will be hoping the third follows soon. Yellow flags have been placed around the egg to alert the players to it.

Donna Siems, of the Loch Lomond club, said: "The oystercatchers don't usually end up in such an inconvenient place here. But we've had golfers up until last Friday and there have been no accidents.

"If anything, they're safer now because the golfers playing are of a better standard and less likely to hit them."

The tiger in Garcia, page 26