Couch potato Colsaerts

TURIN: Nicolas Colsaerts revealed how a stint at home on the sofa had helped him claim a share of the first-round lead at the Open d’Italia Lindt.

The Belgian was forced to withdraw from last week’s KLM Open with flu, but after making a speedy recovery – aided by his mother taking care of him – the Ryder Cup star fired a seven-under-par 65 at Golf Club Torino to join Ricardo Gonzalez and Maximilian Kieffer.

“Nothing beats being back home with your mum looking after you,” said Colsaerts. “I was sitting at home on the couch watching the golf from Holland, and was quite happy to be looked after by my mum. It was the best place to be for me.”

After a bogey on the10th hole – his first – Colsaerts recorded a remarkable run of six straight birdies.

He gained another shot at the 18th, before a steady back nine which featured eight straight pars and a birdie at the last.

Gonzalez had missed three cuts in a row since finishing as runner-up at the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles, but looked in fine form as he fired six birdies, one bogey and an eagle at the 12th.

Kieffer had a 25-foot putt for the outright lead at the last, but had to settle for a par to conclude his eight birdie, one bogey round.

It continued an impressive rookie European Tour campaign for the 23-year-old, who currently sits 77th in The Race to Dubai. – European Tour.com