Golf: Woosnam's Happy Return to Scene of Ryder Glory

In the illustrious career of Ian Woosnam, 48th place after one round of the 2007 European Open is hardly worth a glance, yet the Welshman walked off the final green yesterday looking more like a tournament winner than a golfer in with a chance of making the cut.

Woosnam's last visit to this corner of Ireland was as the captain of Europe's triumphant Ryder Cup team nine months ago. In sport, however, triumph reveals itself in many forms and yesterday it arrived in the rather less momentous shape of the Welshman's level-par 70. That left him six shots behind the first-round leader, Maarten Lafeber of the Netherlands, and more than happy to brush off the disappointment of a double bogey on his final hole. "I actually holed a good six-footer for a double bogey, so I have to be thankful," he said. "But to be perfectly honest I'm just happy to be out playing golf again."

Woosnam's happiness is rooted in his misfortunes since that halcyon weekend at the K Club last September. His woes can be traced to a virus he picked up earlier this year that ruled him out of numerous tournaments, including the Masters. "It worked its way through my body. At Augusta it was in my hips and I could only walk about 150 yards. Then it went into my legs and my knees, then down to my shins. Now it's down to my feet - not far to go now, I suppose," he said with a mischievous grin. "But then with the length of my legs there wasn't that far to go anyway."

Leaving the comedy to one side, he conceded he had been seriously concerned about his career. Doctors finally diagnosed the problem and offered him a cure, which included a more rigorous fitness regime.

For a man such as Woosnam, who gives the impression that his gym membership expired in 1978, a strict fitness regime might not have gone down well. But he has buckled down. The cigarettes have gone and his appetite for Guinness has been curtailed, although, for this week: "It's Ireland - you've got to allow yourself at least one pint".

Bad news for Guinness shareholders is great news for anyone looking forward to watching Woosnam cut a swathe through the Champions Tour when he turns 50 next year. "I'm definitely trying to get back to playing some decent golf in time for the seniors," he said, conceding that winning on the regular tour might be beyond him these days. "I can't hit the ball far enough off the tee to take the courses apart."

One man who can is the US Open champion Angel Cabrera, although the Argentinians Oakmont form was barely evident in yesterday's one-over-par 71. As for the four members of Woosnam's Ryder Cup team who made the journey back to the K Club, Colin Montgomerie went one shot better than his erstwhile captain, a one-under 69, David Howell returned the same score and Padraig Harrington and Paul McGinley each signed for a 71.