Stephen Gallacher was heading into day three of the Turkish Airlines Open in a share of fourth as he sent out a warning to beware of the injured golfer.

While big-hitting Belgian Nicolas Colsaerts fortified his stronghold at the top of the leaderboard with a second consecutive 64 to lead by four on14-under, Scots ace Gallacher came barging up into the top five with a fine 65 for an eight-under tally.

Gallacher continues to make purposeful strides on the Regnum Carya course despite a pre-tournament mishap that left him hirpling in pain and seriously pondering the prospect of withdrawing from the event before it had even started.

The former Ryder Cup player, 43, said: "I did it jumping out of a buggy coming back from the range and just went over on my ankle. In fact, I had my bags packed on Thursday morning. I was for the off. I wasn't going to play.

"It's a bad sprain. The tendons are a bit inflamed and bruised. When you get older, you get all sorts of things happening to you."

"I woke up the next morning and it was both swollen and bruised. But Dingers (European Tour physio Ian Dingwall) strapped it. I’m strapped up like you wouldn’t believe and I’m also taking tablets. If it wasn't for the physio, I wouldn't be playing.”

Gallacher’s game was certainly in rude health and, for the second consecutive round, he signed for a bogey-free card. Six birdies were scribbled down too, the pick of the bunch coming on the tough 10th where the three-time Tour champ launched a nicely flighted 6-iron into 10 feet and trundled home the putt.

Colsaerts is certainly happy with the way things are going for him so far as he he upped his bid for a first European Tour win since 2012.

That was the year when he announced himself to a world audience with a barnstorming Ryder Cup debut at Medinah which saw him fire eight birdies and an eagle during the opening day fourballs. Colsaerts is rattling up the gains in Turkey too this week and four birdies over his first six holes helped him on his way to back-to-back 64s.

“I had to work a little bit more for this one,” he admitted. “Day one was kind of eyes closed and everything felt like it fell in my lap. This round was more satisfying, to shoot the same score but having to go out and find it a little bit more.”