DJ really grooving

Nick Rodger

Golf Correspondent

Sunday 19 August 2012

The DJ was certainly in the groove at Fairmont St Andrews.

David J Russell on his way to a 66 Photograph: Getty

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Nick Rodger

On a mild, blustery and dry day on the outskirts of the Auld Grey Toon, David J Russell, or DJ as he is commonly known in golfing circles, harnessed the testing conditions over the Torrance course and conjured a sparkling birdie, eagle finish to vault up the hit parade during the second round of the SSE Scottish Senior Open.

Birmingham-born Russell, who designed the two courses at the plush Archerfield Links club near Gullane and has called East Lothian home for the past few years, posted a six-under 66 for a nine-under aggregate of 135 to move into second place, three shots behind Swedish front-runner Anders Forsbrand, with one round to play.Fresh from winning the British Par-3 Championship in his native Midlands last week, a triumph which earned him £15,000, Russell's return to the full length game could yet be rewarded with a cheque for over double that amount tonight. Striding out on to the challenging closing two holes yesterday, the two-time European Tour winner, with son Chris as his caddie, managed to reduce that robust stretch to just six blows as his title tilt was given a late shot in the arm.On the 17th, he holed an eight-footer for a birdie three before the former PGA Seniors champion, who was a vice-captain to close friend Ian Woosnan in the 2006 Ryder Cup, lashed a 3-iron from the semi-rough on the par-5 18th into 30-feet and trundled in the eagle putt."What a finish, that's thrust me into the limelight eh?" said a smiling Russell, who was sharing the lead coming on to the back nine of the 2010 Scottish Senior Open but staggered home in six-over for fourth. "The 17th is one of the toughest and best in golf. To finish three, three is wonderful. I felt I should've won this two years ago, now I have a chance to put that right."Forsbrand, a six-time winner on the main European Tour, opened up a healthy advantage over the chasing pack with an eight-birdie 66 for a 132 as his assault on a maiden title on the over-50s circuit gathered pace. England's tour rookie Philip Golding, who won his one and only European Tour event at the 201st attempt in 2003, could still win a first Senior crown at just the second time of asking after a course-record 64 propelled the 50-year-old into third with a 136. Gordon Manson, who was born in St Andrews but moved away as a child and now has dual nationality after 30 years in Austria, continued to revel in his homecoming with a steady 68 which kept him with the pacesetters in fourth on 137.Barry Lane, who had the preparations for his title defence hampered when his clubs failed to arrive from Heathrow in time for a practice round, bounced back from an opening 74 with a rousing 65 to keep alive his outside chances of a third successive Scottish victory.

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