LUSS, Scotland -- Former British Open champions Tom Lehmanand Ernie Els don't expect anyone to skip St. Andrews because ofthe rush-hour bombings that killed at least 49 people in London.
The British Open, golf's oldest championship, is to start Thursday at the home of golf.
Lehman is playing in the Scottish Open and was asked if Americans would still travel to Scotland in light of the terrorist attack in London, about 400 miles to the south.
"I think they will," Lehman said. "I think security was already pretty tight. The Open Championship is pretty small by comparison. We'll be playing a golf tournament, while otherpeople's lives have been changed. It's a tragedy.
"That makes me so angry, I can't begin to tell you."
U.S. Open champion Michael Campbell was a little more rattled.
The New Zealander, who has a home in Brighton in England,was on his way to pick up his parents from Heathrow airport when Thursday's attacks happened.
"My mum and dad have just arrived from New Zealand and theyare shocked just as I am, but it leads me to be now concernedabout security and safety next week for the British Open," hesaid.
Several players at Loch Lomond wore black ribbons on their caps Friday to honor the victims.
Els, who won at Muirfield three years ago, rolled his eyes whenasked if the bombings would keep players away.
"It could happen right here, where we're standing," Els said."It could happen in South Africa. It could happen anywhere."
He noted that some Americans don't travel to the British Open,anyway. Billy Mayfair earned an exemption last week, but decidednot to play.
"Now they have an excuse," Els said with a laugh.
Adam Scott of Australia has been living in London since heturned pro, and his house is about two miles from where the blastsoccurred. His girlfriend and mother were home at the time, butneither was near the scene.
"It's scary," he said. "I always take the bus or the tube in London. It's hard to believe it could happen. And it could have been a lot worse."
Scott was in St. Louis for the American Express Championship on Sept. 11, and recalls being apprehensive on a private charter to London, and the next few times he flew commercial.
He wonders how he will feel when he takes the subway or a bus when he's home in London.
"How do you police a bus? Check every bag? It's hard," he said. "No one would get anywhere."
Asked how it might affect the British Open, Scott said of the terror attacks, "If you start running away, they win."
A spokesman for the tournament organizers, the Royal andAncient, said normal security arrangements for the Open were inplace. "Anything extra will be up to the Fife constabulary," headded.
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The chief superintendent of Fife's Eastern Division, AlanMaich, said in a statement: "There is a detailed plan in placewhich resulted from a comprehensive preparation process.
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"We are confident that this is suitable to cope with anyincident at the event.
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