Opening eagle eases Drydale's nerves

Scotland’s David Drysdale conquered his first-tee nerves in considerable style in the third round of the Italian Open today.

Drysdale held a two-shot lead at the halfway stage at Castello di Tolcinasco after a superb 64 yesterday gave him a 13-under-par halfway total of 131.

He had been overtaken before he even headed to the first tee however, Belgium’s Nicolas Colsaerts carding a 64 to move to the top of the leaderboard on 14 under.

But Drysdale looked anything but nervous as he promptly eagled the opening hole, a 526-yard par five, to retake the lead.

“I feel physically sick sometimes,” admitted the 31-year-old from Dunbar, who lost his card last season by less than £400.

“It’s strange but if I get that first tee shot away I am normally fine after that.

“Everyone gets nerves but I get them badly. It’s a mental thing but I can’t put my finger on it. I seem to play all right when I’m nervous and there’s not much I can do about it.

“At the end of the day it’s only a game of golf but there is so much going on out here.”

Playing partner Phillip Archer also eagled the opening hole to move to 13 under alongside Argentina’s Miguel Carballo, who had picked up six birdies in his first 12 holes.

The clubhouse target had earlier been set by Wales Garry Houston, who carded a 65 in the second group out at 8am local time for an 11 under total of 205.

Ryder Cup captain Ian Woosnam had picked up one shot in an outward nine of 35 to improve to nine under.