JUST LIKE OLD TIMES, ROSS FISHER LEADS BY TWO AT CELTIC MANOR

Ross Fisher showed glimpses of his Ryder Cup form from 2010 at Celtic Manor today.

Photo: PA

FROM THE DAILY TELEGRAPH WEBSITE

By Oliver Brown

Ross Fisher only had to close his eyes on Friday to imagine a happier time. For during a second-round 66 that vaulted him into the halfway lead in the Wales Open at Celtic Manor, he could recall the cacophony that swept through this section of the Usk Valley on his Ryder Cup debut.

Then, the galleries chanted his name as Europe sealed victory in the compelling 2010 duel. Now, they have to remind themselves who he is, despite Fisher’s mastery in South Wales of a fiendishly difficult course to reach six under par, two clear of fellow Englishman Lee Slattery.

Fisher, who has dropped 130 places in the world rankings since his Ryder Cup baptism, acknowledged how far his stock had fallen but claimed he was on the cusp of a turnaround.

“I hope this will be the start of a big summer for me,” said the 31 year-old, who has not registered a single top-five finish for almost 18 months. “I guess it’s the dreaded curse of the comedown from the Ryder Cup. You have such high expectations and it has been disappointing.”

A position of 157th in the world is chastening for Fisher, missing from the field for this month’s US Open, despite having a fleeting opportunity to win the tournament in 2009 at Bethpage Black.

The chance of a restoration to the Ryder Cup fold is also remote to the point of dreams, given that 19 other English players stand above him in the Europe points table for José María Olazábal’s team in Chicago.
"Once you’ve played in one you don’t want to miss one,” said Fisher, with 12 weeks of the Ryder Cup race left. “It’s a big outside goal at the moment, because I have to play damn well to get on that team.

“I made an equipment change last year — I just felt the time was right — and it has probably taken me longer to adjust than I would have liked. But if I can play how I have for the first two days, then I feel like I’m really tough to beat. It’s always encouraging to come back to a good hunting ground.”
Fisher’s round hardly started auspiciously, with a bogey six at the opening hole, but six birdies ensued — including two in a row to close — as he briefly established a four-shot lead.
Slattery, who earlier this week came through a 36-hole play-off at Walton Heath to qualify for the US Open in San Francisco, later reduced the deficit to two by adding a 71 to his first-round 67.
The Southport golfer was impressive in mustering a riposte after dropping three shots in his first eight holes. “The swing certainly didn’t feel as good,” Slattery reflected. “It was one of those battling days. I just managed to compose my thoughts and that’s why we do psychology.”
In more benign conditions, scores at Celtic Manor were not as chaotic as on the first day, when stiff breezes had led Singaporean amateur Zhiqun Lam to shoot 92.
Even so, Olazábal could not secure a spot for the weekend as a triple-bogey seven at the 16th sabotaged his hopes. But Colin Montgomerie, who lost an entire night’s sleep this week by driving home to Scotland to collect a different putter, survived at four over
SCOTSWATCH: Paul Lawrie improved by six shots with a 69 which included a pair of birdie 2s to be T20 alongside fellow Scot David Drysdale (71) on 143, one shot behind the leading Scot, Steven O'Hara who had a 72 to be T12 on 142.
George Murray (71 for 146), Colin Montgomerie (72 for 146) and Stephen Gallacher (70 for 147) also made the cut - 147 or better qualified - but Marc Warren (73 for 148) missed by one while Gary Orr (72 for 149), Richie Ramsay (78 for 149), Peter Whiteford (74 for 150), Scott Jamieson (75 for 151) and Craig Lee (74 for 153) all missed out.
So too did a "Scot" with the name of Ted Innes Kerr who shot 82-84 for 166.
Ted Innes Kerr?

SECOND ROUND LEADERBOARD
Par 142 (2x71)
136 Ross Fisher (England) 70 66
138 Lee Slattery (England) 67 71
139 Fabrizio Zanotti 70 68, Thongchai Jaidee (Thailand) 71 68, Chris Wood (England) 72 67
140 Tim Sluiter (Netherlands) 68 72.

SCOTS' SCORES
142 Steven O'Hara 70 72 (T12)
143 David Drysdale 72 71, Paul Lawrie 74 69 (T20)
146 George Murray 75 71, Colin Montgomerie 74 72 (T52)
147 Stephen Gallacher 77 70 (T61)

MISSED THE CUT (147 or better)
148 Marc Warren 75 73
149 Gary Orr 77 72, Richie Ramsay 71 78
150 Peter Whiteford 76 71
151 Scott Jamieson 76 75
153 Craig Lee 79 74
164 Ted Innes Kerr 82 84.