SOUTHPORT, England -- We're not only separated by a common language, but by a cultural chasm that makes the Atlantic Ocean seem like a spilled Budweiser.
That particular beer, by the way, is popular among the Brits. Several other American staples, however, are not.
Hotels in England, as a rule, do not have air conditioning, clocks or telephones in the room. Finding ice for soft drinks requires meeting an Eskimo. Food is pedestrian at best. Evidently, if not evi-dentally, orthodontists are as rare as sub-par scores this week at Royal Birkdale.
Judging by the miserably wet and windy weather at the British Open, summer lasts about 24 hours. It came and went last Sunday, apparently.
With that in mind, we thought we'd offer a Top-10 list of statements nobody has heard from the American press contingent while covering the 137th Open:
"Boy, that tastes good."
"Where are my sunglasses?"
"Hey guys, let's go grab some British food."
"The ice machine at the hotel kept me up all night."
"Can't we just call him in his hotel room?"
"Wow, what a great smile."
"Has anybody seen my sunscreen?"
"How much extra is it to rent a convertible?"
"Pass the floss, please."
"Hot enough for ya?"
