And officials of the Gillette Tour Championship Putting Challenge Sweepstakes might have been expecting to pay out $25,000 ($12,500 each to Todd and a local charity) as his putt rolled on course towards the hole.

But the shot, on the 18th hole at Mid Ocean Club, was struck much too firmly, hitting the back of the cup and bouncing three-and-a-half feet past the hole.

"There was something wrong with the hole,'' joked the 62-year-old Smith's parish resident as he held a cheque for $250 from Gillette for his effort. A like sum will also go to a local charity.

Todd, who admits he isn't a golf fan, kept those surrounding the green waiting for about a minute as he lined up the putt. In an unusual stance he pointed his front foot towards the hold and the back foot at a right angle.

He wasn't about to be rushed in his brief moment in the spotlight as a few spectators started to grow impatient.

"Is that an average time?'' he asked afterwards, in response to the length of time he took. "I thought, let them wait, I'll do it when I'm ready. I didn't want to be careless. As you probably noticed I had a rather unorthodox stance.

"I tucked my right arm in but I hit it a bit too hard.'' Todd, who entered the draw with the purchase of Gillette products at Paget Pharmacy, was informed last weekend that his name had been chosen.

"It was a once-in-a-lifetime thing, notoriety of a different kind,'' he said as he walked off the green towards the clubhouse, still clutching his consolation prize.