GOLF:NEVER HAS the divide between professional golf and golf of the hacker variety seemed so insignificant as it did yesterday when Retief Goosen stepped up to hit his first shot in the second round of the 2009 Scottish Open and topped the ball 180 yards down the fairway.

Never has the divide seemed so vast as thereafter. The South African made par after his first shot shocker and then went on to negotiate the Loch Lomond course in a grand total of 63 shots – a terrific effort in any circumstances, and one that clearly thrilled its author, the most laconic man in sport.

Laugh? Goosen almost did. “Only when I hit a six-iron,” he said with a smile when asked if he’d ever been so short off the tee.

“No, it happens. It’s not the first time I’ve done it and it won’t be the last but it was quite a shock. After that, you are wondering – what sort of day is it going to be?”

As it turned out, Goosen didn’t have to wonder too long. Three birdies on the back nine – which he played first – put his mind to rest, and set him up for a front nine that brought four more birdies, an eagle and a 36-hole total of 131, 11-under par.

That was good enough for a two-shot lead over the field.

Not so long ago such an advantage at the halfway point in any tournament would have made the South African an overwhelming favourite but the world of golf has moved on since 2005, when he was a perennial contender in major championships and a member of the so-called “Fab Five”.

Since then, however, he has been more Freddie and the Dreamers than John, Paul, George and Ringo, falling steadily down the world rankings (he was as low as 40th, but has climbed back up again in recent months to 25th). His putting stroke, once the envy of every golfer in the world not called Tiger Woods, is no longer as deadly as it was. But, still, it has its days, and yesterday was one of them. But will it remain as accurate

over the weekend? The chasing pack will hope it won’t, although even if it does there is no guarantee that Goosen will add a second Scottish Open title to the one he secured in 2001, not least because of the quality of those gathered behind him on the leaderboard.

For a second successive day Adam Scott looked more like the “next big thing” and less like the “next big bust”, striking the ball beautifully as he compiled an effortless 67, four-under par.

He ended the day on nine-under par, two shots behind the leader, and utterly convinced that, like Goosen, he too had rediscovered that which made him one of the game’s premier players.

“My ball striking is there again,” said the former world number three. “Two rounds in the 60s in a row – that’s good for me. I’m just enjoying being out there and being able to hit the shots I want to.”

Goosen and Scott will be the main attractions in today’s third round but those in search of entertainment won’t have to look too hard, with the likes of Martin Kaymer, on eight-under par, and Camilo Villegas, two shots further back, within touching distance of the leader.

Home interest will centre around Martin Laird, the Scottish-born PGA Tour player who is making his European tour debut this week. As he headed towards the end of his second round, Laird had at one point been edging towards a tie for second place alongside Scott. It has been a wonderful week of the 26-year-old Scot, who stood a chance of earning a spot in today’s final pairing.

What a contrast his fortunes made with those of his more famous compatriot Colin Montgomerie, who departed the course not knowing if he would be playing at the weekend.

Not even a run of four birdies in his final four holes was enough to lift Monty’s spirits.

“I played awful yesterday and not much better today,” he moaned, before outlining his plans for next week’s Open at Turnberry.

“I think I’ll turn up on Thursday and just give it a rock.”

That should get Tiger Woods shaking in his golf shoes.

Lee Westwood wished on Thursday he had pulled out because of a chest infection, but after a doctor gave him anti-biotics and he slept for 15 hours he returned to knock seven strokes off his opening 73 – and said it could have been even better.

“I’m glad I played now,”he said. “I knocked the flag out all day.”

At three under he was on the same mark as playing partner Rory McIlroy, who called a penalty on himself when his ball moved a fraction after he had addressed it on the eighth.

Even before that the 20-year-old Ulsterman had things go against him at the fourth.

His ball finished in a hole at the base of a tree, but although he felt there was evidence of it being caused by a burrowing animal, tournament director Mike Stewart ruled that because he could not play a shot from the position he was not entitled to relief.

McIlroy double-bogeyed there, but eagled the 13th in a level-par 71 as Ian Poulter, the third member of the group, slipped back to one under with a 72.

That looked set to be the cut-off mark, but right at the end of the day’s play those on level par – including Montgomerie, who had birdied his final four holes, and defending champion Graeme McDowell – were let in by Swede Martin Erlandsson finishing bogey, bogey, triple bogey.

McDowell lies on 143 after a round of 72, while Paul McGinley is five off the lead after shooting 71. Shane Lowry shot 72 for two-under par, while Peter Lawrie’s 73 saw him miss the cut by a shot.

(Brit unless stated, Irish in bold, par 71)

131 (11 under)

Retief Goosen (Rsa) 68 63

133 (9 under)

Adam Scott (Aus) 66 67

134 (8 under)

Martin Kaymer (Ger) 69 65, Marcus Fraser (Aus) 68 66

135 (7 under)

Soren Kjeldsen (Den) 67 68, Nick Watney (USA) 67 68, Thomas Aiken (Rsa) 69 66, Soren Hansen (Den) 67 68, Martin Laird 65 70, Kenneth Ferrie 67 68, Gonzalo Fdez-Castano (Spa) 65 70

136 (6 under)

Ross Fisher 69 67, Richard Green (Aus) 64 72, Camilo Villegas (Col) 69 67, Mark Foster 68 68, Mads Vibe-Hastrup (Den) 69 67, Paul McGinley 65 71