O'Meara says pouring rain has made Carnoustie brutal

CARNOUSTIE, Scotland, July 22 (Reuters) Former champion Mark O'Meara said a level-par round would be enough for leader Sergio Garcia to win the British Open after the American sampled Sunday's ''brutal'' conditions.

''It rained the whole way round,'' the 50-year-old American told Reuters after a closing 74 earned a 12-over-par aggregate of 296.

''It was brutal. If the conditions remain the same and Sergio shoots even-par, I think he'll be all right.

''I think (Garcia's) nine-under is a good score and I just don't see the guys behind him going three or four under.'' A drenched O'Meara explained how the soggy conditions were making the links course at Carnoustie much longer than normal.

''On 17 I had 194 yards to the front of the green and 210 to the hole and I had to hit a three-wood,'' said the American, who achieved an Open-US Masters title double in 1998.

O'Meara also said the condition of the bunkers was proving difficult for the players.

''The bunkers have casual water,'' he said. ''I had to play out of casual water at one because if I had dropped the ball it would have plugged, so I went ahead and played it out of the water instead.

''It is hard not only to play and stay dry and keep your clubs dry, it is hard to keep concentration and hard for your caddie.'' Reuters BJR RS1831