Colsaerts hits longest drive on European Tour

NEWPORT, Wales - Nicolas Colsaerts has hit the longest drive ever recorded on the European Tour en route to grabbing the clubhouse lead with a 5-under 66 on the opening day of the Wales Open.

Colsaerts hit his tee shot 447 yards on the par-five 18th hole of the Twenty-Ten course at Celtic Manor, which hosted the 2010 Ryder Cup. He took full advantage of a prevailing breeze and the hard condition of the fairway at the 575-yard hole, which Colsaerts was playing as his ninth.

Colsearts' drive was five yards longer than the previous known European Tour mark of 442 yards set by India's Shiv Kapur in the third round of the 2012 Madeira Islands Open.

The Belgian said ''the hole was playing downwind and I managed to get a good bounce.''

He went on to make an eagle on the hole.