Casey vaults into lead with 62

Britain's Paul Casey, close to being selected as a Ryder Cup wild card last year, broke the course record on Saturday to upstage the Belfry contingent and take a two-shot lead in the German Masters.

Casey, praised by European Ryder Cup captain Sam Torrance when he made his selections 12 months ago, carded a blistering 10-under-par 62 to surge to 19-under-par 197, two strokes better than Australian Stephen Leaney and home favorite Alex Cejka.

Cejka, with two late eagles, equaled the old course record 63, while Leaney, the first round leader, dropped a shot on the last for a 66.

Two more Britons were a further stroke back, second round front-runner Ian Woosnam, who carded a 68, and Gary Evans, without a win in 11 years on tour, a 65.

Woosnam, Europe's Ryder Cup vice-captain and runner-up in this event to Sergio Garcia in 1999, was locked in a battle for the lead right up to the short 16th where he went into the lake and dropped a shot.

Casey, Europe's rookie of the year in 2001 when he won the Scottish PGA title, doubled his lead with a stunning pitch over the lake on the last to just four feet for his ninth birdie to go with an eagle on the 15th.

Casey has proved in the past three weeks he will be a prime candidate for Europe's team in two years' time, following an earlier barren spell.

"It's nice to get back up there and shoot some low numbers to show everybody what Sam saw in me last year," said the young Englishman after his career-best score as a professional following rounds of 63 in the BMW International two weeks ago and a 64 in last week's European Masters.

"It was very nice of Sam to say what he did last year but I'd been playing some average golf," Casey added.

"I wouldn't say it's embarrassing but when Sam mentions you as a possible pick and then you don't play very good golf, you feel you have let him down.

"Now, two years time is my Ryder Cup goal."

The seven Ryder Cup players who made the cut enjoyed mixed fortunes.

Bernhard Langer, the defending champion, finished the best placed, sharing 11th place after a 66 moved him to 12-under, seven shots off the pace.

Colin Montgomerie, declaring no back problems, was only a shot behind the German after also bogeying the 16th for a 68.

Montgomerie's late dropped shot came after his ball hit a spectator, who was shaken but uninjured.

Padraig Harrington and Pierre Fulke were a stroke further back.

Harrington, still troubled by neck pain on his right side but able to work his way round, posted a 71, while Fulke showed good form less than two weeks before the Belfry clash with a 66.

Thomas Bjorn was another to report no worries with his game or fitness as he shot a 70 that left him 10 strokes off the pace, but the other three European team members struggled.

Lee Westwood looked to be going well but came home poorly for a 73 that left him at six-under, Paul McGinley was disappointed with a 71 and Niclas Fasth slumped to a 75.s

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