Andrew Coltart prepares for fight to keep card

"I'm lucky to be playing this week - and I'll be lucky if I've got anything else for the rest of the year," admitted the 40-year-old after taking over as the leading Scot in the event.

As Martin Laird, one of the four overnight co-leaders, dropped down to a share of 17th after a 75 on the Old Course, Coltart moved in the opposite direction after a 71 at the same venue put him on four-under 140 at the halfway stage.

Lying 154th in the Race to Dubai, the Scot is bracing himself for a return to the European Tour Qualifying School, a six-round marathon, later in the year. "I'm just trying to do my best when I get out there and see what happens," he said after being asked what he thought he needed to do to get into the top 115 and hang on to his card. "I'll be lucky if I get another event and actually, you know, in the back of my mind I'm sort of preparing for, as somebody described it, the longest job interview of anybody's life - six days!"

Currently 13th reserve for next week's Portugal Masters, Coltart is more likely to be heading to Gleneagles for the Scottish PGA Championship. "I don't think I'll be close to getting into Portugal," he remarked.

Coltart revealed he had used the fact he played in all four rounds of the Open Championship at St Andrews earlier this year as a lever to get an invitation this week from Johan Rupert, the South African businessman who pumps the cash into this event.

"When I asked Johann for an invite, I told him how much I had enjoyed the Open and that I love this place. I've got some great memories and was fortunate enough to get an opportunity to come back and play here," he said.

Starting at the tenth yesterday, the man who joined forces with Sam Torrance and Colin Montgomerie to lift the Dunhill Cup for Scotland in its old format in 1995 described perfectly how tough it was on the back nine in a left-to-right wind.

"At the 14th, the out of bounds wall looked about four times the size," he said. "It was also pitch dark for ten holes - and I was wearing sunglasses that usually brighten things up."

Stephen Gallacher, the 2004 winner, is a shot behind Coltart after he followed an opening 69 at St Andrews by signing for a level-par 72 at Carnoustie.

"This is my favourite course of the three and I'm very happy with that," said the 35-year-year-old, who was two-over at the turn after starting at the tenth but covered his back nine in 34.

Laird came home in 39 on the Old Course, the main damage being a double-bogey on the 13th.

Alan McLean, a golfing hybrid if there ever was one - he was born in Clydebank, raised in South Africa and is now based in Canada - is on three-under, with Paul Lawrie, the winner nine years ago, the only other Scot in red figures on one-under.