THERE’S no rest for the auld yins. “I’ve played in two Pro-Ams over the last couple of days and that’s 10 hours of golf,” gasped Euan McIntosh of the rigorous pre-tournament requirements ahead of the Legends Tour’s MCB Tour Championship in Mauritius this week. “They work us hard.”
At this shivering time of the year, when the temperature has plunged and those of us in Scotland are quaking and shoogling like Shakin’ Stevens with a bad chill, the idea of spending a week in an Indian Ocean paradise would be, well, paradise. Then again? “The forecast is rain, some lightning and winds of maybe 25mph,” added Glasgow-born McIntosh of the meteorological mess that’s set to sweep in for the over-50s season-ending showpiece.
It’s not unusual, of course. This time last year, the whole Tour Championship was abandoned after being washed out by the kind of relentless torrents that would’ve had Noah ushering various beasts onto his floating zoo in a flustered haste. “I was actually leading after 12 holes of the first round but it took us two days to play those 12 holes and then they cancelled it,” reflected the Scot. “In the end, they gave us all a fee for travelling out there. But it’s a nice place to be whatever the weather.”
