Golf: Caddy change helps Lyle too

It is not only Nick Faldo who is enjoying being back alongside the caddie with whom he enjoyed most of his most memorable victories.

As Faldo and Fanny Sunesson look forward to building on their third place in the Volvo PGA championship at Wentworth on Monday, Sandy Lyle and Dave Musgrove are hoping that being back together can spark something off.

Lyle resumed the Victor Chandler British Masters at Woburn today on three-under-par, just three behind the overnight leader, Swede Robert Karlsson.

The pair, who had Major success together in the 1985 Open and 1988 Masters, were re-united a month ago just like Faldo and Sunesson.

But in their case it was after a 10-year split rather than 18 months.

‘‘It’s brought back lots of good memories, but Dave’s also a very good caddie,’’ said Lyle, whose last tournament victory was the 1992 Volvo Masters.

‘‘I’ve had lots of different caddies in the last four or five years, but I still think he is my number one.’’

Lyle’s struggles in America in recent years have been well documented - he does not even have a US Tour card now - and since returning to Europe he has missed the cut in both the Benson and Hedges International and Volvo PGA championship.

Yesterday’s round contained a mere 25 putts and he commented: ‘‘I’m still struggling with the putter to be honest, but rounds like that give you encouragement.

‘‘It’s been a long time since I had one with seven birdies and I didn’t even realise there were that many until somebody told me.’’

Winner of the tournament in 1988 across the road on the Duke’s Course at Woburn, the 43-year-old says of the new Marquess: ‘‘It’s longer and you have a little bit more space. The Duke’s to me was always a bit tight.’’

Karlsson, who did not have a single bogey in his opening 66, took a one-stroke advantage over playing partner Adam Scott, the 20-year-old Australian, into the second round.

Favourite Colin Montgomerie is two back along with 48-year-old Irishman Eamonn Darcy, English pair David Howell and Greg Owen, Germans Erol Simsek and Sven Struver and Italian Marco Barnardini.

Lee Westwood, who decided to enter only on Monday, resumed on 69, Darren Clarke on two-under and new Volvo PGA champion Andrew Oldcorn on one-under.