Passionate link to British

It is over, alas, for another summer, but what makes the Open Championship the most flavorful in golf are the indelible images, even during a week in which rain and cold dominated and summer in Carnoustie was but a rumor.

Cast aside complaints of outrageous exchange rates. Forget about the traffic patterns, the missing comforts of home, and ignore the weather forecasts that mean even less than they do in New England.

The oldest golf championship remains the best week of the year, as much for a style of golf (links) that is not only the most demanding, but the most beautiful, as for the people and their lifestyles that serve as a backdrop to the festivities. Golf in Scotland is a joy to embrace -- from Dornoch to Prestwick, from Dunbar to Nairn, from Musselburgh to Troon -- because while it is their game and their way of life, the Scots are honored to share it with visitors who have a passion for golf.

Certainly, the rain suits and umbrellas received a workout, but it was worth it because the memories are lasting:

Of tee times at 7 p.m. and rounds that can be played toward 9:30 p.m.

Of newsstands at virtually every street corner and a choice of newspapers that made the morning purchase a delightful endeavor.

Of people who still read newspapers.

Of the woman at Lundin Links who was thrilled to hear we knew of Brad Faxon. "He is a special one," she said, regaling us with tales from a weekend in 2005 when the Rhode Islander was basically taken in as a member for earning medalist honors at a British Open local qualifier at those quaint links.

Of the uncanny knack for moving around beneath an umbrella in harmony with others without mangling those protective tops.

Of enjoying an ice cream cone and realizing that the gentleman next to you is a five-time winner of the British Open (Peter Thomson).

Of bumping into players as you walk downtown, everyone searching for that one restaurant that would carry you through the week.

Of the winning pick, the Titanic Pizza Co., a haven of good taste and a place where you could meet your favorite PGA Tour player. "The Titanic," said Hunter Mahan, "was solid all week," and Brett Quigley figured he ate there six nights.

Of monitoring the progress of the final hole in regulation, not greenside, but at the scorer's trailer where Padraig Harrington sat inside. From 100 yards to our left, we heard the collective groans of thousands -- Sergio Garcia had missed a par attempt that would have won -- and in an instant, Harrington was out of the scorer's trailer, headed to a practice green 45 feet away. He kissed his wife, Caroline, who insisted he also kiss their son, Paddy, only the young lad was elsewhere at the moment.

Of the reappearance of young Paddy Harrington. As his father made a few pitch shots, then tried to remain familiar with the speed of the greens, he couldn't quite accomplish the task, because his son was having too much fun kicking back the balls before they reached the hole at which Harrington was aiming.

Of Garcia shaking hands with Harrington when it was all done, then hurdling a wall behind the 18th green and running for the solitude of the locker room, his spirits crushed by the playoff loss.

Of Nick Watney talking of his first British Open experience and days filled with golf at North Berwick and Muirfield, two mandatory stops for anyone who cherishes a true links experience. Yes, he even did the "suit coach and tie" lunch at Muirfield. "It was pretty cool, to tell the truth," he said.

Of Gary Player's plea that we not forget the greatness of Ben Hogan, though in all due respect, he used an example that made no sense. Theorizing that if Hogan had the benefit that today's superstars have -- "all these guys in their G5s," he noted -- he'd have been able to fly from Birmingham, Mich., to Scotland in the summer of 1953 and take aim at the Grand Slam. Nice thought, only Player forgets a crucial element to that legendary story of Hogan's conquest of the British Open in his only visit. Granted, the PGA Championship ended July 7 that summer and the British Open began July 8, but Hogan couldn't have done both. The British Open back then required everyone to qualify, so the "Wee Ice Mon," as the Scots called Hogan, had to be at Carnoustie the week leading into the championship. Besides, he never would have played the PGA Championship that year, not with it being an arduous, 36-hole, match-play format.

Of people who greet you with a smile, a nod of the head, and ask, "If you are here for the golf?" You tell them that you are and that always brings a smile. They're there for the golf, too.

She says oui to Evian

It's been a long, miserable season of golf for Michelle Wie, but she continues to travel well.

The 17-year-old has resurfaced for the first time since June 29 when she withdrew from the second round of the US Women's Open, and this time she's in Evian-Les-Bains, France, to play in the Evian Masters.

"It's so great to be back here," said Wie. "I thought, 'Why not get out of the country for a little bit. [I] thought it might be good.' "

It will be the first of two straight weeks in Europe for Wie, as she'll also tee it up in the Women's British Open at St. Andrews next week. After a week off, she is scheduled to play in the Canadian Women's Open. Not a bad itinerary, and the acceptance of a sponsor's exemption into the Safeway Classic in Portland, Ore., Aug. 24-26 will only add to the travel delights.

All of which is assuming she is up to playing pain-free, competitive golf.

"I know I have some things I know I can do [if the wrists start hurting]," said Wie during a pretournament interview. "I have a brace, so it puts comfort into my mind. I don't feel like I need it at this point."

Perhaps not, but what she desperately needs is a good tournament and maybe a return to the Evian will help. After all, it was right there one year ago when Wie last broke par, a closing 68 giving her a share of second. Back then, she was a fixture inside the top five, but since that final day at the Evian when Karrie Webb blitzed past her to win, Wie has been rather lost. Her five LPGA Tour events since have been finished thusly: T-26, 17th, WD, 84th, WD -- and she's also played poorly in two events against the men.

At the press conference, reporters tried to pin Wie down about her plans once she turns 18 (Oct. 11), but she remained more elusive than ever. At times, in fact, it didn't sound like she had any plans for the LPGA Tour whatsoever.

"Eighteen is a big year. It changes everything," she said. "People don't realize that I'm still young, and I have my whole life in front of me and I want to be able to choose what I want to do in my life."

When the subject turned to drug testing, which, by the way, is done in France, Wie shrugged it off. "I think drug testing is drug testing," she said, though no one knows what she meant. Pressed further, she explained: "I don't think I'm going to get caught, so I'm not worrying about it."

There was probably a better way to say that, but we'll give her the benefit of the doubt, because she's still trying to find her rhythm in 2007.

New Englanders journey to seize opportunity overseas

The Senior British Open gets underway today at Muirfield and the 144-player field includes two determined New Englanders who made the trip overseas and took on the challenge of a Monday qualifier.

Kirk Hanefeld, the director of golf at The International in Bolton, continued his clutch play by shooting 65 at Dunbar to take medalist honors, the fourth straight Monday qualifier he has gotten through.

Hanefeld, who finished tied for 27th at last year's Senior British Open, will be playing in his sixth straight Champions Tour event and ninth of the season as he tries to move up the money list (he's currently 78th, with $71,735).

Also getting into the Senior British Open for a second straight year is Joe Clark Jr., the head professional at Owl's Nest in Campton, N.H.

Hanefeld's effort was most impressive, because he played in Dick's Sporting Goods Open in Endicott, N.Y. (he was T-57th) and flew all night to Scotland.

Another American, Gary Koch, took medalist honors with a round of 68 at North Berwick.

The news wasn't so positive for others. Former NEPGA member Jay Dolan failed to get through, nor did PGA Tour caddie Lance Ten Broeck have a good day. He was disqualified. Another DQ went to Victor Garcia, completing a rough Scottish weekend for the family, because his son, Sergio, squandered the British Open a day earlier.

Another who fell short was Graham Brown, the Royal & Ancient member who was reprimanded for making offensive jokes at a dinner before the British Open. At the qualifier, Brown shot 72, a few shots too high.

Hanefeld and Clark won't be the only native New Englanders in the field, however. Peter Teravainen of Duxbury, the longtime European PGA Tour member who is a second-year participant on the senior tour, is also in the field.

Dana Quigley and Allen Doyle are skipping the tournament.

Etc.

Someday soon, their paths will probably cross and Richard Green will be in position to say, "Thank you," to Woody Austin. As an alternate for the British Open, Green earned a spot when Austin turned down his exemption, saying, "I don't know how to play that type of golf." Well, Green apparently recognized what Steve Stricker recognized when he took on the Carnoustie challenge. "It's still golf," said Stricker and Green must have agreed, because both had rounds of 64 to share the course record. Stricker shot his in Round 3 to get into contention; Green's came in the final round and not only did it help earn him $411,320, but by finishing in a tie for fourth, he earned an exemption into next year's Open Championship at Royal Birkdale.

The face was familiar, but we couldn't place the name as he bought a shirt in the pro shop at the Gullane golf courses next door to Muirfield, which is hosting this week's Senior British Open. Apparently, the pro knew the man, because he shook hands and wished him well. Then he asked the man if he had watched the Open Championship the day before. "I did," the man said. "It was fantastic stuff -- until the 17th hole. Then my heart broke." It was Vicente Fernandez, who had watched his fellow Argentine, Andres Romero, steal the show at Carnoustie with 10 birdies in 16 holes to take the lead. But Romero doubled the 17th and bogeyed the 18th to finish third. "I am very proud of the boy," said Fernandez, who is playing at Muirfield.

As for the familiar face working the bag for Davis Love at Carnoustie, it was longtime PGA Tour member Mike Hulbert. His relationship with Love goes back "a long time," said Hulbert, "with a lot of dinners, a lot of hunting trips, a lot of golf." Hulbert worked for Love at last year's Target World Challenge and will do so occasionally the remainder of the year. As he awaits his Champions Tour career (he'll turn 50 in April), Hulbert has been playing some Nationwide Tour events and doing what he can to keep the rust off his game.

Fresh off her stirring victory in the US Women's Open, Cristie Kerr has signed on with a Boston company, TrinityOne Marketing, which will manage the 29-year-old's business deals. TrinityOne was started by Patriots former chief marketing officer Lou Imbriano, who compares Kerr's focus and dedication with Bill Belichick's. Currently fourth in the women's world rankings, Kerr earned her 10th LPGA Tour win at the US Women's Open.

So far as the major championships go, it's three down and one to go -- the PGA Championship Aug. 9-12 at Southern Hills CC in Tulsa, Okla. There are only 13 players who've made the cut in all three majors this season. The names and how they've performed overall in the first three majors: Tiger Woods, 7 over; Jim Furyk, 12 over; Justin Rose, 13 over; Paul Casey, 20 over; Mike Weir, 21 over; Zach Johnson, 21 over; Jerry Kelly, 21 over; Vijay Singh, 24 over; Ian Poulter, 28 over; Niclas Fasth, 32 over; Scott Verplank, 34 over; Lee Westwood, 35 over; and Carl Pettersson, 38 over. On the flip side, these players missed the cut in all three majors, and their performances to par for just six rounds explains a lot: Joe Durant, 27 over; Johan Edfors, 29 over; Colin Montgomerie, 32 over; Robert Allenby, 39 over; and Todd Hamilton, 39 over.

When those at 5 over or higher were sent packing at Carnoustie last Friday, there were some items of note:

Geoff Ogilvy (75-74) had made the cut in 10 straight majors. The leader is now Furyk, with eight straight.

David Toms's streak of 22 straight PGA Tour cuts (16 this season) came to an end when he shot 71-77. Since placing fourth in his British Open debut in 2000, Toms has missed four cuts in six starts and his best finish is a tie for 30th.

Love (79-71) has missed the cut in three straight British Opens, after having an eight-year stretch in which he had finished no worse than joint 21st.

At 50, Mark O'Meara was the oldest to make the cut.

With rounds of 81-72, Hamilton has missed the cut in 17 of 21 starts this season. Since winning the claret jug in 2004, Hamilton has missed the cut in two of three British Opens and is 22 over in eight rounds.

Englishman David Howell did make the cut, after missing five straight in the British Open.

Sweden's Robert Karlsson missed another British Open cut, his ninth in 12 starts.

When he won the 2003 PGA Championship, Shaun Micheel carried that momentum into 2004 and made the cut in all four majors. He then missed the cut in nine of the next 10 before slipping into weekend play at the British Open.

At the US Girls' Junior Amateur in Lakewood, Wash., there was a mixed bag for two notable players. While Cheyenne Woods -- niece of you know who -- shot 77-78 and missed the cut, Madison Pressel advanced to match play on the strength of 69-73. Morgan Pressel's younger sister was defeated in her first-round match, however . . . Morgan signed on to become the official touring pro at Kapalua on the island of Maui.

Jim McCabe can be reached at jmccabe@globe.com. Material from personal interviews, wire services, and other beat writers was used in this report.