ST. ANDREWS, Scotland — Ernie Els’s gallery at the Old Course on Thursday morning included John Jones, who was in the vicinity of the first fairway, but not too close, when Els struck his opening shot at the British Open. Jones attended the tournament as Els’s guest, but to say he did not pay a price for his ticket would be skirting the truth.
At last year’s British Open at Royal Liverpool, Jones was unable to elude Els’s first shot. It hit him in the mouth, splitting open his lip. The wound bled profusely and required stitches to close.