Sandy storm: Lyle walks out as stars take a battering at Royal Birkdale

Sandy Lyle faced a storm of criticism last night over his shameful decision to quit The Open Championship after just 10 holes.

The former winner, who was 11 over par, gave up because his 'grips were wet and his glasses steamed up', an excuse that stunned the organisers, left a reserve distraught and surely ended any hopes the 50-year-old had of becoming a future Ryder Cup captain.

Calm before the storm: Sandy Lyle and Graeme Storm walk together during the first round

Peter Dawson, chief executive of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club, said: 'It's disappointing. I have to say that professional golfers should complete their round.

'You wonder what they'd say if a recorder showed the same attitude and went home at lunchtime so they couldn't post their score.'

Lyle later admitted: 'I was a headcase out there. I chucked it.'

First alternate Mark Brown, the New Zealander who would have taken Lyle's tee time if the Scot had walked away before hitting a shot, said: 'This would have been my first major and, while I'm not sure of his reason for walking in, it's disappointing if it wasn't because of an injury. It's the duty of any player, if he's fit, to carry on. I know I would. I've never walked off without a good reason, and I never will.'

Defending champion Padraig Harrington refused to believe Lyle would walk in without an injury, while one prominent voice in the Ryder Cup captaincy process said the Scot had damaged his already slim hopes of being skipper in 2010.

He was not the only one to quit. Rich Beem, the 2002 U.S. PGA champion, walked in after a 12-over-par front nine of 46. There were reports the American had complained of a finger injury but no official reason was given.

The first-round lead is shared by three players who benefited from conditions that changed from brutal in the morning to difficult after lunch.

Windswept: Justin Rose

Ulsterman Graeme McDowell, who held a similar position at Hoylake two years ago, shot 69 to share pole position with Australian Robert Allenby and American Rocco Mediate.

Inevitably, on such a tempestuous day, there were unhappy players who let rip, led by American Jerry Kelly. He blasted the R&A for not moving some of the tees forward on holes into the wind.

'It is the worst set-up of a golf course I've seen,' he raged. 'It is about using commonsense and they haven't. There were four fairways out there that I could not reach with my best drives.'

Dawson took the criticism in his stride. 'What is written on the Claret Jug is the name of the winner and how many strokes he played, not how many under par he finished,' he said.

An attendance of 36,500 spectators provided their own antidote to Lyle, defying the most miserable weather seen on the opening day for 20 years.

'What a reception they gave us,' said Greg Norman, who defied his 53 years with a 70. 'It wouldn't happen anywhere else in the world.'

The Met Office say things might get worse. A 50 per cent chance of 45mph winds tomorrow left Dawson to admit: 'If it gets to that strength we might not be able to play at all, because golf balls will be moving on some of the greens.'