Hollywood star Michael Douglas and basketball legend Michael Jordan linked up today as golf partners at St Andrews.

The two Americans played with Spain Sergio Garcia in the celebrity pro-am for the £1-million Alfred Dunhill Cup starting today.

The three, with Alfred Dunhill chief Johann Rupert, finished on 17 under par. But that was nowhere near good enough to win against some hot competition.

As if Sergio Garcia has not already done enough in his first season as a professional, he has now been made captain of the Spanish side contesting the Dunhill Cup. Garcia was surprised to be handed the job by team-mates Jose Maria Olazabal and Miguel Angel Jimenez.

"I thought one of the other guys would be in charge as I am just the rookie of the team," said Garcia. "But they say (they joked rather) that the rookie is always the captain."

Garcia has never even been to the home of golf until now but is keen to learn all he can about the course which stages next year's Open. Spain are second seeds behind the US.

Every golfer - professional or amateur - who uses a broomhandle putter will have cause to pay special attention to a press conference at St Andrew's today. The Royal and Ancient are to announce their changes to the rules of golf to take effect from the start of next year.

Since the last changes four years ago the issue of whether the broomhandle should be banned has been debated long and hard.

Sam Torrance is among the professionals who believe their careers have been revived by being able to go to a long putter.

But while the new rule book is highly unlikely to outlaw its use, there could be amendments in the way the club has to be gripped.

The aim would be to prevent it being anchored to the chin or chest in the same way as at present.

There will be no changes to the so-called trampoline effect of some modern drivers because research is still going on both in America and Britain.

But from next year caddies could be banned from standing behind players for all shots and not just for putting.