Problems return for Casey

Just when he thought it was safe to go back on the golf course Ryder Cup star Paul Casey ran into more problems today.

An opening 67 at the Omega European Masters in Switzerland – his best score since March – had given Casey real hope that his summer slump was behind him.

But the first qualifying event for next September’s match against the Americans turned rotten for the 28-year-old when he bogeyed four of the first five holes of his second round.

First Casey was bunkered on the 407-yard 10th, then he came up short of the green at the 412-yard 12th and failed to get up and down, then he found more sand on the 200-yard next and could not salvage his par again.

Worse was to come. The long 14th, even at 598 yards, was a birdie chance in the rarefied air which carries the ball 10% further than at sea level, but he took six there.

As a result the World Cup winner, who missed six halfway cuts in a row and quit the US Open after a nightmare opening 85, was back to level par.

Casey did then fight back to two under with four holes remaining, but having been only two shots off the lead overnight he was seven adrift.

That was because title favourite Sergio Garcia produced a majestic eagle on the 341-yard fifth, his 14th, to charge to nine under.

After being caught by Paul Broadhurst the world number six smashed a driver over the trees on the dogleg. It finished only five feet from the flag and his attacking policy paid a huge dividend.

Things had not been entirely plain sailing for him prior to that. He birdied the 10th and long 14th, but at the 388-yard 17th he hooked his drive and hit a female spectator on the back.

The ball rebounded right across the fairway off her and while she was taken away for treatment he got out of the hole with a par.

Overnight pacesetters David Carter, Garry Houston and Jarmo Sandelin had yet to tee off again and 1992 Ryder Cup player Broadhurst, who had his first victory for 10 years at the Portuguese Open in April, took the opportunity to go past them.

The Atherstone golfer, who missed the US PGA championship last month because he had planned a 40th birthday trip to Florida with family and friends, made up for a double bogey at the 13th with five birdies to move to seven under.

But when he bogeyed the short eighth Garcia found himself three clear of the field.

Luke Donald, Garcia’s house guest this week as he was when he won the title by five last year, was among the later starters and after kicking off with a 66 he remained the Spaniard’s biggest threat for a first prize of nearly €293,000.