Foster leads as he looks to cement his place in Seve Trophy team

The 36-year-old from Worksop – a town best known in the sport as Lee Westwood’s home – took the early lead in the fog-delayed Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles with a six-under-par 66.

Although his only European Tour victory remains eight years ago, Foster’s season is shaping up to be easily his best yet.

He is on course to earn a place in Britain and Ireland’s Seve Trophy side for the first time and says of next month’s match against Continental Europe in Paris: “I’ve been trying hard all year to make it and if it comes around it will be a massive thing for me.”

Not even a problem with wasps and bees could prevent Foster from making a flying start.

While Ryder Cup player Ross Fisher crashed to five over as he was affected by them – he then hit back to finish with a 71 – his fellow Englishman turned in a brilliant 30, no fewer than 10 shots better.

“I remember having to make a birdie putt with a wasp on the ball,” he said.

“It’s going to come off when you hit it and I just felt in a good place, so I hit the putt.”

Play did not begin until 10.10am – 160 minutes later than planned – and it meant the first round will spill into a second day.

Harrogate’s John Parry is two shots off the lead, having been four under par after 15 holes when play ended for the day.

Malton’s Simon Dyson recorded a two-under-par 70, but Hull’s Richard Finch and Sheffield’s Danny Willett both struggled with 75 and 77 respectively.

David Smith won the De Vere Leeds Cup, professional golf’s oldest trophy, after a dramatic play-off at Oulton Hall.

The Swinton Park man overcame local challenger Ben Mason, competing in his first PGA North Region tournament after 11 years on the European Tour, with a birdie at the third extra hole.

Smith said: “This is the tournament I’ve always wanted to win. It has so much history attached and to have my name etched on it along with some of the most famous players of the past is a great honour.”

Mason, who represents Waterford Golf, holed his fourth shot from a bunker at the second sudden-death hole but Smith pitched to 18 inches at the next for a decisive birdie.

The pair had been deadlocked on 10 under par at the end of the second round with Smith, the 38-year-old Lancashire PGA captain, recording 66 66 and Mason tagging a 65 to his opening 67.