WASHINGTON (Map, News) - What would you pay to caddy in the British Open?

Australian pro Ewan Porter, in town this week to play in the Melwood Prince George's County Open, posed the question last year on eBay. Auctioning the job off for $28,000, Porter covered expenses to Carnoustie, took his mother along, and, in the process, struck up a friendship with former Washington Redskins quarterback Mark Rypien.

No, the 1991 Super Bowl MVP wasn't the high-dollar bidder. But the president of the Mark Rypien Foundation, Spokane financial analyst Randy Brawner, was. Within a week, Porter, then a struggling 24-year-old touring pro, and Rypien, a comfortably retired 44-year-old and scratch golfer, were fast friends.

“I was [playing] in Phoenix and Mark just happened to be in Scottsdale,” said Porter. “Randy organized a game for me to play with Mark. I guess it was a scouting mission to check that I was legitimate. I ended up playing three or four games with Mark, went out to drink with him a couple nights. We became great mates straight away.”

Straight away down the fairway is Porter's goal this week at the Country Club at Woodmore as he tries to cure his recent driving woes in the second annual Nationwide Tour event.

“When I hit a loose shot, it's fairly wide. I need to get it back on the straight and narrow,” said Porter, who averages 303 yards per drive. “When other guys on the tour are off, they're usually a little off the fairway. When I'm off, I'm at right angles or left angles off.”

Since turning pro at age 19 (“way too young,” according to Porter), he struggled on the Australasia PGA Tour. In February, when Porter won the Moonah Classic, an event co-sponsored by the Nationwide and Australasia tours, he earned $148,248 and gained full status on the Nationwide through 2009. In previous years, Porter had to play in Monday qualifiers to get into tournaments.

“I'm thrilled to be out here and playing and having a schedule set for myself,” said Porter, who ranks No. 5 on the Nationwide money list. If Porter finishes the season in the top 25, he will also gain status on the PGA Tour.

Porter will get another taste of top-flight competition in July when he travels back across the Atlantic for his second straight British Open. He hopes for a better result than last year, when he shot 83-79 -- 162 to finish dead last in a field of 156. Porter's highlights were playing a practice round with eventual winner Padraig Harrington and witnessing the joy on the face of his caddy.

“Randy had the time of his life,” said Porter. “He thought Christmas came early.”