Ronan Rafferty pulled out of the Volvo Masters before his third round at Valderrama today - but it was not likely to cause the same fuss as his walk-out from the 1991 US Open.

The former European number one went into retirement four years ago, but accepted an invitation to play in Spain as a past winner of the title.

However, his rustiness was there for all to see as he compiled opening rounds of 83 and 89 for a 30-over-par halfway total of 172, 34 more than leader Justin Rose.

Rafferty then told officials he was scratching from the tournament because of a problem with his left wrist.

Sixteen years ago, when he was one of the circuit's biggest names, he quit the US Open after nine holes of his second round. Playing partner Craig Parry said later that the Northern Irishman had merely said he was going to the toilet.

That cost Rafferty, winner of the Volvo Masters in 1989, a £5,000 fine. This time his two rounds, bad though they were, earned him just over £11,000.

His withdrawal reduced the field to 54 and it left Sandy Lyle, another past champion, in last place at 22 over, and that after playing the first eight holes of his third round this morning in an impressive one under.

Lyle finished with a highly respectable 72 to be 24 over, but having three-putted the long 17th for a par and failed to take a birdie chance on the last he still felt some frustration.

"I would have been doing somersaults all the way back to the clubhouse if I'd shot 70," said the Scot, who turns 50 next February and as a past major winner will be exempt for the seniors circuit in America.

Playing partner and fellow countryman Marc Warren shot 71 to remain 15 over, but the wind was still causing lots of problems. Swede Fredrik Andersson and England's Ryder Cup hopeful Phillip Archer both had triple bogey eights on the 11th.