Curtis remains in the dark

Great champions are expected to walk with a swagger, talk with authority and generally conduct themselves as though they are living a dream.

Ben Curtis is a champion, his name newly engraved upon the base of golf 's Claret Jug.

But the concept of greatness remains as much a stranger to the American as he was a stranger to the galleries at Royal St George's when, four weeks ago, he began his challenge for The Open title as a 500-1 outsider ranked 396th in the world.

Having gone on to score one of the greatest upsets in the history of the game, Curtis received an invitation to meet the President of the United States, make an appearance on America's most famous television talk show, and earned the financial rewards to turn his forthcoming wedding into every bride's idea of heaven. It should have given Curtis enough thrills to last a lifetime.

Yet, on the eve of the USPGA Championship here at the Oak Hill Country Club, 26-year-old Curtis remains desperately unaffected by the commotion he has caused.

Indeed, five minutes in Curtis's company revealed his character to be almost as dull as the grey polo shirt he was wearing. He confessed that his White House audience with President Bush was "pretty cool".

How about the honour of being introduced everywhere he goes now as "Ben Curtis, Open Champion"? Again, he replied: "It's pretty cool."

Curtis is clearly uncomfortable when caught in the full glare of the media spotlight. Words don't come easy to him, as was proved when he was a guest of chat show host David Letterman.

Asked about Tiger Woods, beaten so soundly at Sandwich, Curtis meant to pay a compliment to the world No1 by describing how he still had an "aura" about him.

Unfortunately, it came out as: "He has a certain aroma about him."

Alas, had Woods received an invitation to Curtis's wedding to Candace Beatty on Saturday week, he would have had to turn it down because he'll be competing in the NEC Invitational World Golf Championship in Akron, Ohio.

But then, so will Curtis. "I'll just hop in a car and be home in 20 or 30 minutes," said this arch-romantic, who will have to return to the course for the final round the following day.

He is even playing in a tournament the following week, leaving the new Mrs Curtis to wait nearly a month for her honeymoon. At least they'll have time then to reminisce about that amazing Sunday at Royal St George's.

Curtis said: "I just remember thinking right from the start that I had a chance. I was playing really well and I seemed pretty calm. I just tried to enjoy it and we had a good time."

A good time? Other champions, great champions, might have found more expressive ways of describing their victory march to The Open title. But it could have been worse. Curtis might have summed up the whole experience as "pretty cool".

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