TROON, (Scotland), July 22: Justin Leonard's British Open victory was just another indication of the changing of the guard in golf.

Leonard, 25, became the third major championship winner this year under age 30, joining Masters champion Tiger Woods, 21, and 27-year-old US Open winner Ernie Els.

And the trend went deeper.

Darren Clarke, Jim Furyk, Padraig Harrington, Retief Goosen, Lee Westwood, Robert Allenby -- all in their 20s -- had strong showings at Royal Troon, where eight of the top 19 finishers were under 30.

At the same time, perennial contenders in the majors like Nick Faldo, Greg Norman, Nick Price, Bernhard Langer, Seve Ballesteros, Ian Woosnam and Colin Montgomerie were never a factor.

In fact, except for Montgomerie they have been a factor in none of the three major championships this year.

And where were the familiar names at Troon like Corey Pavin, Payne Stewart, Mark Brooks and Tom Lehman? They were in the field but they never challenged.For the young, winning seems contagious. They are not in awe of the men who have dominated the game the last decade.

``Maybe going in there today, having seen Tiger and Ernie do it,'' Leonard said, ``I thought it was ok to go out and win a tournament like this even being the age I am.

He won it with the kind of round that will make other players take notice. Of the 16 players who started the final round-under par, Leonard's 65 was the only round in the 60s.

``This win won't change just in one bit,'' his coach, Randy Smith, said in Dallas. ``He'll still be the same great kid. He'll still work hard. He'll win some more majors.''

Then Smith said something that must be crossing the minds of Norman, Faldo and Price, who have 57 British Opens and six victories among them. ``Everybody talks about Tiger Woods,'' Smith said. ``But there are some other kids who can play, too. Remember, Justin is only 25."

One of the best indicators of the best players in golf every two years is the Ryder Cup standings. And with less than a month to go before this year's teams are locked in, youth abounds. Three of the top five American players -- Woods, Leonard and Furyk are in the youth brigade, as are three of the top seven on the European team Clarke, Westwood and Per-Ulrik Johansson.

Any concerns there might be about the lack of Ryder Cup experience among the young players is calmed by the performance Leonard turned in at the British Open.

``Justin is very talented,'' said US Ryder Cup captain Tom Kite, who returned from the airport to congratulate Leonard. ``I like the style of his game very much. He is on a run, has a lot of confidence going.''

The words Kite used to describe Leonard apply to a lot of the young players in the game. They are talented and confident.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.