By Matt Slater Golf editor

Sandy Lyle is far too polite a man to ever say it, but he will not be surprised that Seve Ballesteros has decided to miss the Open at Sandwich.

That win probably changed my whole life Sandy Lyle on his 1985 Open victory Lyle's 2003 tips

On a course that demands disciplined driving, the risk of getting seriously lost in one of the more overgrown gullies at Royal St George's was probably too high for Ballesteros to contemplate.

But Seve's decision to stay away will be felt by Lyle, as it removes another link to the 45-year-old Scot's heydays.

Lyle's name may not be seen on too many leaderboards these days, but it doesn't seem that long ago he was standing shoulder to shoulder with Ballesteros in the vanguard of European golf's 1980s renaissance.

Lyle's 1985 Open victory at Sandwich was the first by a Brit since Tony Jacklin's at Lytham in 1969 - Scotland's barren spell went back to James Braid's triumph in 1910.

A regular winner on the European tour since turning pro in 1977, Lyle's Sandwich win catapulted him into the game's higher reaches.

Speaking to this website, Lyle said: "I didn't go in to the week as one of the favourites.

"I had missed the cut in Ireland the week before by miles, so I went to Sandwich with a very open mind, not really knowing which way my game was going to turn.

"But it turned out to be a very exciting week and that win probably changed my whole life."

The key for Lyle was his ability to keep the ball in play off the tee.

Lyle tips Monty for Open glory

With its choking rough and skinny fairways, Royal St George's is merciless to those who stray from the beaten path - a thought that has clearly loomed large in Ballesteros' mind of late.

The Kent course also boasts perhaps the most devilish final four holes of any venue on the Open rotation.

"If you are two or three over par coming down the last few holes you are really struggling to keep your score in the low 70s," said Lyle.

SANDY LYLE FACTFILE 1958 Born in Shrewsbury, 9 Feb 1977 Wins English Amateur Stroke-Play Ch'ship for second time, turns pro 1978 Wins Nigerian Open, his first pro title 1980 Wins European Order of Merit for 2nd straight year 1985 Wins Open, claims Order of Merit for 3rd time 1988 Wins Masters and four other events worldwide 1992 Wins twice on Euro tour, his last pro victories 2001 Returns to Euro tour after poor stint in US

"It's tight and breezy, and quick in places, but luckily I was always around par or better going into the stretch so I was always in good fettle there."

And so it proved, as a bogey five on the last - which could easily have been worse after he fluffed a chip with his third shot - was just enough to leave Lyle one shot better off than Payne Stewart.

Lyle remembers standing over that last putt - a three-footer - thinking that he was due a miss after sinking similar putts to save par on the previous holes.

"I had already made a couple of short ones for par, so I thought it would be sod's law if I miss," he said.

"But I holed it for a five, waited about 45 minutes for the rest of them to finish and ended up one ahead."

Three years later Lyle cemented his place in golfing history when he became the first British player to win the Masters.

Coming in a year when he also won two other events in the US and two more on the European tour, Lyle could reasonably claim to be the best golfer in the world.

But the last 15 years have witnessed a decline that was at first gradual and then headlong. A missed cut on his next Open visit to Sandwich in 1993, and no professional win since 1992, tells its own story.

The last few years have seen something of a Lyle revival - a third-placed finish at last year's Dunhill links championship brought him the biggest cheque of his playing career.

And he travels to Sandwich, for the tournament which starts on 17 July, in good heart.

"My game is as good now as it has been for some time," said Lyle. "I'm playing solid, and my confidence is reasonably high.

"It all depends if I can make the right start, make some putts and get in contention."

One thing is certain, however, he has a far, far better chance of adding to his Major tally than his old rival Ballesteros. And for that he should be applauded.