Jean's big resurrection chance

JEAN VAN DE VELDE matched his lowest-ever round in Europe yesterday - and now has the chance to resurrect a tour career he feared could be over.

Playing on a sponsor's invitation at the French Open after losing his card following two knee operations, the 39-year-old - forever to be remembered for a closing triple bogey seven at the 1999 British Open - fired a seven under par 64 at Le Golf National.

Van de Velde leads by one from England's Jonathan Lomas overnight, but half the 156-strong field have still to complete their first round after a thunderstorm halted things in mid-afternoon. Ireland's Gary Murphy shot a 75.

The former Ryder Cup player has given himself just until the end of next season to get back on the circuit.

Still far from 100% fit and 709th on the world rankings, he said: "There have been times when I have thought I would have to call it a day. Golf has given me plenty and I hope will continue to, but I'm not here to punish myself."

And Van de Velde added that if he suffers yet another setback in his rehabilitation "I will have to consider doing something else. There's no doubt I can hit the ball and there are a lot of good signs, but there are a lot of questions marks too.

"At the end of the day all I'm worried about is being able to play and not be in pain where it's unbearable."

If only Van de Velde had taken six and not seven at Carnoustie six years ago he would have earned a 10-year tour exemption.

While that went to Paul Lawrie instead, Van de Velde's marriage broke up, he failed to break through on the US Tour and then his knee gave way.

"My cruciate ligament isn't there any more after a skiing accident in 1995 and I also developed arthritis. The surgeon said he could repair the meniscus, but it could happen again and when you are 55 you will have to have a fake knee.

"Once you have a replacement then 10 years after that you need another one.

"After that it is in a wheelchair. I wanted to live normally, be able to run and swim in the ocean.

"They took some tendon off the back of my leg and replaced the ligament, but you lose all the muscle in your leg and have to rebuild it. It is a nightmare.

"It was like you slam your finger in the door and it was unbearable. We tried injections, scans and MRI, but come October we had to open up again."

Van de Velde was given a medical extension to his membership, but that has now run out and the only other events he knows he is in are the next two, the European and Scottish Opens.

First or second place on Sunday would get him into the Open at St Andrews and a victory would bring a two-year tour exemption. But on what would happen if he again came down the last three ahead he commented: "God knows."

Lomas was suffering from jetlag when he teed off at 7.30am, but the confidence from making the halfway cut in his first US Open was still with him as he also amassed seven birdies.

Whereas Van de Velde kept a bogey off his card, however, the Ayrshire-based golfer lost a ball on the third and ran up a six there.

On his 42nd birthday, Colin Montgomerie came in with a two under par 69, as did Jose Maria Olazabal.

Tournament favourite Miguel Angel Jimenez is handily placed after a 67, while Scot Raymond Russell and Dane Soren Hansen will resume on the same four under par mark after 10 and six holes when the hold-up came.