Nicolas Colsaerts rolls back the years with 66 in battle to keep Tour card

Appropriately for the course that staged last year’s Ryder Cup, there is a European and an American high on the France Open leaderboard. And the fact that the joint pacesetter is a former blue-and-gold hero in Nicolas Colsaerts makes the prospect of a duel yet more appealing.

The Belgian is one of the game’s more perplexing talents. When the man nicknamed “The Dude” produced eight birdies and an eagle in his first Ryder Cup match to bring down Tiger Woods and Steve Stricker in the fourballs in 2012, his partner, Lee Westwood, tipped him to “go on to great things”.

Yet, seven years on from the Miracle of Medinah, the 36-year-old has not featured again in Ryder Cup or won since that standout season.

At 114th on the European Tour order of merit, Colsaerts is fighting for his card and in need of a big week at Le Golf National.

So far, so, so good. He added a five-under 66 on Friday to add to his opening 67 and, on nine under, shares the lead with the South African George Coetzee, with a shot back to to Kurt Kitayama, the crack 26-year-old California.

But Colsaerts has been in this position too many times to be certain that the corner has been turned. “I always seem to chuck in a bad nine holes that make me go backwards and leaves a bad taste in my mouth,” he said. “I’ve seen better days, and I’ve been happier. So I want to play well and get this over with and see you all again on Tour next year.”

Colsaerts was known as a character who enjoyed the high life on the circuit. However, now married with a baby boy, he is determined to make his way back. “I’m not sure I would have the stamina to do those early years all over again,” he said. “But we did have a lot of fun.”