Standing by Wentworth's men

Victorious Woosnam had his wife to thank last week

By BBC Sport Online's Kitrina Douglas

I have been thoroughly immersed in the World Match Play action over four days at Wentworth.

We have certainly witnessed some high-quality golf and titanic battles on the course.

Despite some great performances from the players, I think some of the real stars have been the players' wives.

It is the wives who are present throughout the ups and downs of the event as they, to borrow the words of Tammy Wynette, "stand by their man".

Perhaps it is a speciality of the Match Play event.

But at times my attention has been drawn from the battle-weary competitors to the supportive wives who sometimes look like they've also been pulled through a mill backwards.

Eimear Montgomerie (with husband Colin) is said to have expensive tastes

This impression is very different from observations of some other events where the wives are easily identified on the golf course by their designer labels.

At some tournaments, the wives appear more suited to the catwalk than the golf course.

Eimear Montgomerie, for example, is often seen wearing a suede jacket and matching shoes - she is famous for rapidly depleting Monty's winnings through fashion purchases!

Similarly, Maria Ballesteros is known on the tour for her natural Latin style while Laurie Westwood is a professional beautician.

As you'd expect, Laurie's appearance is always impeccable.

However, on the basis of this event, I think the way some of the more cutting journalists have likened the golf wives to the Stepford Wives is extremely unfair.

In reality, it is often the players' wives who are on the front line when it comes to dealing with the stresses and difficulties of life as a top golf pro.

Woosnam's wife to the rescue

Early this week, Eimear Montgomerie was dispatched from her rope-side spectator position mid-match to rummage around the closet for a spare putter as Montie wasn't happy with the one he was using.

Sam Torrance's wife Suzanne Daniels is well known as an actress.

Yet all the drama training in the world could not have prepared her for the emotional rollercoaster of following Sam's matches this week, in particular his round with Vijay Singh.

Finally, I must finish with a reference to the Woosnam success story.

It was great to see Glendryth Woosnam's reaction to her husband's win.

Glendryth was noticeably moved, but smiled warmly through the tears.

Glendryth was the person bringing Woosie painkillers for his aching back all week - and she is the one who has nursed him through his dip in form over the past few years.