BRITISH OPEN NOTES : Janzen Has to Take His Cap Off to Them

Shame on Lee Janzen. The clubhouse at Royal St. George’s, which does not allow women, also does not permit head coverings to be worn inside its hallowed halls.

Janzen, the U.S. Open champion, raised eyebrows before the British Open began when he walked into the club bar beneath his customary baseball cap. A club steward quickly set him straight.

The London Daily Star reported that a fellow member expressed to Janzen, in so many words, “Take that damn hat off.”

Janzen, obviously, misread his clubhouse manual, which allows for casual attire before 7:30 p.m.

Club secretary Gerald Watts was not amused.

“I suppose baseball caps are deemed as casual attire in the States,” he said.

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Payne Stewart, one of the favorites, has a ventricular block in his heart, a condition not believed serious.

“I was told you can watch your kids and grandkids grow up and I don’t have a problem,” Stewart said. “It has done nothing but enlighten me about my life and that we’re not invincible and that we’re not going to live forever. I’ll treat it as such.

“It has been reported a little bigger than the problem is. I didn’t have any pain in the heart. I’m going to be around for a while, you’re going to have to put up with me.”

Stewart said he would have to minimize his consumption of alcohol, which causes the heart to beat faster, but otherwise he should be fine.

“In a nutshell, you need to be a teetotaler and stop drinking,” Stewart said. “You can have one every now and then.”

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The American roundup in the first round: Stewart shot a one-over-par 71. Fred Couples, who downplayed his chances here, had a 68. Paul Azinger and Janzen shot 69s.

Mark Calcavecchia, one of the co-leaders at 66, was teamed with Nick Faldo, who is all business on the course. Calcavecchia said Faldo barely uttered a word during his round.

“He’s not out there for conversations,” Calcavecchia said. “I don’t care if he doesn’t talk. If I make a hole in one and he doesn’t say, ‘Nice shot,’ that wouldn’t bother me. I like playing with him just because he’s the best. He’s a lot like I’d like to be more of, brave, gutsy.”

Jack Nicklaus’ round of 69 was interrupted on the fifth hole when a spectator collapsed.

“I went over and asked him if my bad play was bothering him,” Nicklaus said. “He was all right. It didn’t bother me. It bothered him more than it bothered me.”

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Germany’s Bernhard Langer said his sore neck was feeling much better.

“It’s not hindering me from swinging away,” the Masters champion said.