BRITISH OPEN NOTEBOOK : Stewart Has a Record-Tying 63, but It’s Too Late

Payne Stewart’s golf game, lost in transit, arrived Sunday in time to tie Nick Faldo’s two-day standing course record of 63, but too late to get back in the chase at the 122nd British Open.

Stewart, one of the pre-tournament favorites, muddled through the first three rounds with scores of 71, 72, and 70.

“About time,” Stewart said of his 63. “I’m pleased, but I’m sorry my first three rounds were so boring.”

Stewart totaled seven birdies on his one brilliant day, and his 276 total would have been good enough to win 10 of 11 previous Opens at St. George’s.

After his morning round, he hoped the weather would turn and drive up the scores of the leaders.

“We need some weather, quickly, lots of it,” Stewart said.

Mother Nature wasn’t cooperating.

Stewart left with one fond memory out of four.

“It was a great round,” he said. “I shot an 11-under once. I shot 61 at the Disney (Walt DisneyWorld Classic), but the Disney is not the Open.”

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How well was the course playing? Until Sunday, Bill Rogers had been the only winner to shoot under par in 11 previous Opens played at Royal St. George’s.

Rogers won the 1981 Open here with a 276, four under par. Twenty-three players shot under par at this year’s Open. Eleven players bested Rogers’ score of 276.

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One of the surprises of the tournament was the play of Australia’s Peter Senior, who hung tough against the big names. Senior had rounds of 66, 69, 70 and 67 to finish in a tie for fourth.

“I thought I would get in contention when I began because the conditions were very easy,” Senior said. “I do not think anyone will grudge a second major. I played well all four days, but it was just not quite good enough.”

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The English take their golf seriously. Consider this description of John Daly’s swing in the Sunday Times of London.

“It may be unorthodox, but if a contradiction is allowed, it is orthodox in its unorthodoxy and well-founded in it’s peculiarity.”

Translation? He knocks the tar out of the ball.

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Fred Couples finished in a three-way tie for sixth with American Scott Simpson and Australian Wayne Grady. . . Daly shot a 71 on Sunday and finished at 278, two under par. . . . Norman received $154,000 for winning Sunday. Faldo received $123,000 for second and Bernhard Langer took $103,180 for finishing third.