Colsaerts claims surprise lead

Young Belgian Nicolas Colsaerts, without a European Tour card and without a top-20 finish all year, suddenly found himself leading the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles today.

With overnight leaders Mark Foster and Steve Webster managing only 41 and 37 respectively for the front nine, the 22-year-old from Brussels took over at the top.

Colsaerts birdied three of the first five holes, turned in 33 and then picked up another shot at the long 12th to be seven under par.

Italian Open champion Webster, so looking forward to his USPGA debut this coming week, did at least match that last birdie to get back to six under, but on one under Foster was six adrift with six to play.

Ireland's Damien McGrane is on -4 after 17 holes.

Colsaerts lost his card last season, but in the absence of so many big names - after the injury withdrawals of Colin Montgomerie and David Howell Australian Richard Green was the highest-ranked player at 50th in the world – he qualified with his 120th position on the 2004 Order of Merit.

The only time he has been in the headlines this season was at the French Open. He was fined £2,000 (€2,900) and £4,000 (€5,800) for two slow play violations on the same hole and also given a one-stroke penalty.

He stands 163rd on the money list with winnings of only £37,103 (€53,500), but the title tomorrow would earn him £233,330 (€337,000) and make him exempt for the next two years.

Ryder Cup star Paul Casey, who yesterday ended a nightmare run of six successive missed cuts, was not out of the hunt at two under after a 70 – and could take encouragement from the fact that he did not have a bogey in his round.

Confidence is something he needs plenty of going into the USPGA Championship on a Baltusrol course which looks set to be a fearsome test.

During his slump Casey missed the cut in the Masters, withdrew after an opening 85 in the US Open, then failed to survive the midway axe in the Open at St Andrews.

“I’ve still got a lot of work to do, but I’m playing better and feeling much happier about things,” he said. “Now I’m just looking for results – before I was looking for my golf game.”

A talk with US Open champion Michael Campbell last month has played its part in turning his form around.

The New Zealander knows all about the highs and lows of life as a professional sportsman and pulled Casey aside during the JP McManus Pro-am in Ireland.

“There was nothing revolutionary in what he told me, but I stored his nice comments away. This is a career, not a quick little race and, as somebody said, form is temporary, but class is permanent.

“I can’t say it’s a good thing to have a dip like I’ve had, but maybe it is. It’s made me work on the right things and it’s definitely been humbling.

“I’ve learnt a lot in the past year or so. There’s a lot more good to come out of this than bad. It’s been very, very frustrating, but I’ve never been overly concerned that my game had disappeared and was never coming back.”