Casey bounces back

Paul Casey was back in contention for another European Tour title today, just six days after letting the British Masters slip from his grasp.

Casey took a two-shot lead into the final round at The Belfry on Sunday, but slumped to a closing 76 to finish in a tie for fifth.

But the Ryder Cup star had obviously put that to the back of his mind in timely fashion as he again found himself at the top of the leaderboard in the Nissan Irish Open.

Starting the delayed third round at Carton House three shots off the lead, Casey wiped out the deficit with three birdies in his first four holes.

A run of eight straight pars was enough to keep him in a share of the lead on the tough 7,301-yard lay-out, and a birdie on the 13th took him to the top of the leaderboard on his own.

The clubhouse target had already been set by Casey’s Ryder Cup team-mate Darren Clarke, who carded a 67 for a four-under total of 212.

Clarke should have matched the course record of 66 – equalled by Thomas Bjorn on Friday – but missed a tap-in birdie putt on the 18th after being distracted by the giant TV screen showing the Munster versus Biarritz Heineken Cup final.

“I was too busy watching the rugby and just completely went blank,” admitted the Ulsterman.

Also on four under were English duo Anthony Wall and Ross Fisher, who had five and two holes to play respectively.

Bjorn was a shot further back with two holes to play, alongside Ian Poulter, while Ireland’s Padraig Harrington birdied the last to card a 69 for two under.

One player who would not be featuring in the battle for the £250,000 first prize was Colin Montgomerie, who today missed his seventh halfway cut in nine events – and on the course he designed for good measure.

Montgomerie birdied three of his last five holes in the second round, completing a 72 just as play was suspended at 9pm on Friday evening.

But a bogey on the 16th crucially left the Scot five over par and that proved to be one shot too many when the second round was eventually completed on Saturday morning.

The eight-time Order of Merit winner still looks certain to qualify for the Ryder Cup at the nearby K Club in September, but will be looking to get back on track in the BMW Championship at Wentworth next week, a tournament he won three times in succession from 1998-2000.