Coltart storms to new course record at Ballyliffin

SCOTLAND'S Andrew Coltart set a new course record to storm into contention in the North West of Ireland Open at Ballyliffin.

Coltart carded a flawless six-under-par 66 for a two-under-par halfway total of 142 to lie just two shots behind playing partner Costantino Rocca.

Rocca, aiming to regain the title he won in the inaugural event three years ago, added a 69 to his opening 71 to finish four under, one clear of fellow Italian Massimo Florioli.

''It's pleasing to shoot a score like that,'' said Coltart, who was grateful for the chance to play to try to find some form this week after missing out on a fifth straight appearance in the USPGA championship after his world ranking fell from 83rd to 185th.

Conditions were infinitely better than Thursday when winds gusting up to 40mph blew in from the Atlantic to send scores soaring.

Rocca was one of just five players to break par with his superb opening 71 compiled in the worst of the conditions, but ironically found it hard to adjust to a much calmer day today.

''Today when I started I didn't know where I was hitting because yesterday the wind was so strong,'' said the 45-year-old former Ryder Cup star, whose victory in Galway in 1999 was his last European Tour victory.

''I missed two drives because I tried to hit into the wind but the wind was not there. But I'm in a nice position and I don't think about the weekend. I just need to keep my rhythm and try to make more birdies.''

Coltart shared third place with France's Jean-Francois Lucquin, who had held the course record for a few hours after his 67, a superb score on his first experience of links golf.

The 23-year-old former French amateur champion is currently second on the Challenge Tour but a second victory of the season on Sunday could see him close within a few thousand pounds of runaway leader Lee Jamesof Dorset.

This joint event between the two tours is the ideal preparation for those making the transition to the main tour next season, and James and Lucquin are already certain of qualifying from the top 15 on the order of merit.

''This is the first time I have played a links course,'' Lucquin added. ''Yesterday was my first competitive round and it was very tough in the wind, the course changes day by day.

Meanwhile, Eamonn Darcy made a solid start to his career on the European Seniors Tour when he carded a three-under-par 69 to share ninth place after the first round of the Travis Perkins Senior Masters.

The former Ryder Cup star goes into the second round three shots behind Maurice Bembridge, Denis Durnian and Ray Carrasco who all carded rounds of six-under-par 66. on a day when their golf was almost as hot as the weather at Wentworth.

Darcy started his first round in a Seniors Tour event with a bogey five on the 459-yard par four opening hole but that was the only shot he dropped all day. He got back to par when he two-putted for a birdie on the 478-yard par five third before adding further birdies on the 10th, 14th and 15th.

''I would have to describe that as a bit of a struggle,'' said the Irishman, who won four times on the European Tour and accumulated almost £2million in official prize money.

''I have only played one competitive round in the last six weeks so I was a bit rusty when I started but it got a little bit better towards the end.

''I couldn't believe how many people were out there watching,'' Darcy added.

''The atmosphere was great and without any gallery ropes it was a bit like the European Tour 25 years ago.''