Frenchman Raphael Jacquelin reversed his recent golfing fortunes in dramatic style at Gleneagles yesterday when he posted a course record 64 to grab the lead in the first round of the £400,000 Scottish PGA Championship.
The 26-year-old from Lyon has endured a torrid time since finishing tied 13th in the Volvo PGA Championship at Wentworth, missing eight cuts in succession and failing to qualify for the British Open Championship at St Andrews a month ago.
But the former French amateur champion got back on the rails in spectacular fashion on the Jack Nicklaus-designed Monarch's Course, eight birdies and no dropped shots giving him a one shot lead over unheralded Englishman Ben Barham.
Former Open champion Paul Lawrie moved into third after a 67, a round which incredibly began with a hole in one at his opening hole, the 208-yard 10th.
:quality(70)/cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/YVIRIOZQ35EWRPZXR27KGMO6YU.png)