Scotland charge into lead

Paul Lawrie and Alastair Forsyth charged into the lead with a brilliant performance when golf’s World Cup switched to foursomes in Mexico today.

Trying to give Scotland their first-ever victory in the event – and earn themselves 500,000 dollars each – the pair covered the front nine in a seven under par 29.

That meant they had played their last 18 holes in just 58 strokes and had raced from two under par and nearly last to 16 under and one in front of overnight pacesetters Canada.

Ten days ago Forsyth had no idea he would be playing at Vista Vallarta. Having put his clubs away for the winter the 26-year-old was contacted to say that Andrew Oldcorn could not play because of a back injury and first reserve Andrew Coltart had turned down the chance because his wife Emma was expecting their second child.

And he also would not have been involved if Colin Montgomerie had not decided three months ago to skip the tournament.

It also ought to be remembered that until he won the Malaysian Open in February Forsyth did not even hold a European tour card, having failed to come through the qualifying school last November.

Lawrie, Open champion three years ago, got the ball rolling today with a birdie at the 401-yard first.

And while American stars Phil Mickelson and David Toms could do no better than pars throughout the outward nine and fell to 20th of the 24 nations, further birdies for the Scots came at the second and third and then the sixth, seventh, eighth and ninth.

It might have been even better. From just short of the green at the long eighth Forsyth’s 20-foot eagle attempt just missed.

But the Paisley golfer followed that with a 12-footer on the next to take them ahead of Canadians Mike Weir and Ian Leggatt, who after their 59 in the easier fourballs format resumed with further birdies at the first and third.

Mickelson and Toms were paired with Justin Rose and Paul Casey and it was the two young Englishmen who were having the better of things early on.

Casey, a replacement for the injured Nick Faldo, holed a 25-foot eagle putt at the eighth and from 15 on the next. They were 11 under, but still only joint 12th.

Mickelson, who had arrived on the first tee only seconds before partner Toms drove off, hit into an unplayable lie on the eighth, but the pre-tournament favourites did then spark into life with birdies at the 10th and 11th to reach eight under just as the possibility sprang to mind that they could finish the day last.

Paul McGinley and Padraig Harrington, winners for Ireland in 1997, turned in 34 and then birdied the 10th to join England on 11 under and Welsh pair Ian Woosnam and Bradley Dredge were on the same mark after birdies at the eighth and ninth for an outward 34 as well.

World Golf Championships Leaderboard

16 under - Scotland (after 28 holes)

15 under – Canada (24)

14 under – Japan (28)

Fiji (27)

13 under – Argentina (28)

Trinidad and Tobago (27)

South Africa (26)

Australia (24)

Others:

11 under – England (29)

Ireland (29)

Wales (27)

9 under – United States (29)