WHO should we come across at St Andrews Golf Club yesterday in charge of a buggy – yes, you’ve guessed it, none other than Andy Powell.

Peter Jackson, Neil Squires and myself were happily minding our own business trying not to dig up Hamilton’s finest course (108 years old) when a ball from Rhys Priestland emerged near our fairway.

And driving the buggy was his playing partner Powell.

It wasn’t the M4 but it was travelling a bit sharpish all the same!

I couldn’t resist a reference to it and called out.

Priestland chortled, but Powell’s reply couldn’t be heard in the wind, so I tried again.

“I hope you’re in charge of that,” I called out.

Priestland chuckled again and Powell seemed to take it in good spirits, but I’m sure the few words he uttered in my direction ended in “off”.

Back to the more serious stuff. Have you heard the one about the guy who led by 11, yes 11, shots on the front nine only to throw it away and end up tied for second? Yep, you’ve got that one right as well. It was me.

One hole did for me. You name it, I messed it up – three off the tee, out of bounds after that, two bunkers – and a club hurled as far as I could throw it. And the hole in question? You’ve guessed that, too. It was the 13th!

Squires never led until the 17th and then the bandit hit the best tee shot of the round on the 18th and that was that.

The Argus sometimes comes in for a bit of stick for referring to Cardiff Blues, Wales and Lions centre Jamie Roberts as ‘Newport-born Jamie Roberts.’ In fact, when we happened to meet in the car park at the Vale of Glamorgan the other week that’s exactly how I hailed him, and it has to be said he takes it very well considering he only lived in Newport until he was four.

Fast forward to yesterday when I picked up the New Zealand Herald and the back page of the sports section was dominated by a story about Roberts. And (you know what’s coming) halfway down the article, there it was – ‘Newport-born Jamie Roberts!’ And inside there was a piece on the top ten hunks in the World Cup. Top of the list was a Welshman – Mike Phillips.

Roberts was nowhere, but he was on a far more significant list – the paper’s team of the week. He was the only Welshman included.

Five Irish forwards were included – Cian Healy, Rory Best, Paul O’Connell, Stephen Ferris and Sean O’Brien.

Only one All Black made it, wing Richard Kahui, but they did run over a near second string Japanese team. No English player was in sight – but you know what they make of the mother country over here.