In this era of rapidly rising stars, it doesn’t take long to become yesterday’s young 'un. Matteo Manassero is only 23 but the trials and tribulations of this cruelly fickle game must have left him feeling as wizened as the Old Man of Storr.

Here at Castle Stuart, on day two of the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open, the prodigiously talented Italian continued his clamber back into the spotlight. While Sweden’s Alex Noren surged into the halfway lead with a charging inward half of 31 in a six-under 66 for an eight-under 136 and a one stroke advantage over Danny Lee and Eddie Pepperell, Manassero tucked himself in among the pacesetters with a tidy 67 for a 138 to share fourth.

From the youngest winner of the Amateur Championship at just 16 to the youngest winner on the European Tour at 17, Manassero’s propulsion into the game’s upper echelons was like something launched from Cape Canaveral. What goes up can quickly come down, though. A change in swing, in an attempt to find more length off the tee, did not have the desired effect while the mental rigours of constant struggle took a heavy toll.

This likeable, engaging young man from Verona, who has slipped from 25th in the world to No 596th, had clearly reached a point where his confidence could only be found through the process of fracking. From last year’s Irish Open he went through a demoralising spell where he missed 16 cuts in a row. There is light at the end of the tunnel, however. His last top-10 on the tour was in the Scottish Open at Royal Aberdeen in 2014 and he has found comfort in Caledonia again.

“Turning pro so young, it’s maybe been part of just growing up,” reflected Manassero after a six-birdie card on day which was far calmer than the wind-ravaged conditions of the opening round. “I was just feeling bad on the course. It was just flat. I found the answer, though. The people beside me were always helping. They weren’t just cuddling me. They were telling me off too. You only want cuddles when you don’t feel good. I found a way to get out of it. It was a slow process. It didn’t just click but I’m in a much better situation now.”

Noren certainly left himself in a good situation as he set up camp at the top of the leaderboard. The four-time tour winner had been plodding along at one-under after 10 holes but he really upped the ante on his closing stretch and birdied five of his last seven holes to barge his way to the front.

Pepperell illuminated his round with an eagle three on the 12th in a 67 for his seven-under total while Lee’s neatly assembled 66 had no bogeys. The six birdies he made had added value. Lee was originally scheduled to defend his Greenbrier Classic title on the PGA Tour this week but that event was cancelled after devastating floods hit the West Virginia area recently.

The 25-year-old made the trip to Scotland instead but he has not forgotten those back at a course which became a happy hunting ground and he has decided to donate $500 for every birdie and $1000 for every eagle he makes to the flood-relief efforts. “I know it’s not that much to help everybody out there but I’m just trying make as many birdies as possible to add a little bit of aid,” he said.

After some groanings and grousings from some players about tees not being moved forward during Thursday’s first round to combat the 35mph blasts, officials decided to move a few forward yesterday when it wasn’t really necessary. The scoring tumbled. As a tournament official, you can be damned if you do and damned if you don’t as you attract the kind of cursings that used to be the reserve of Voodoo dolls. Padraig Harrington simply revelled in the strong winds of Thursday. He was certainly not one of the moaning mob and took a subtle pop at the whingers last night. “Some guys are not used to links golf and don’t like the idea that you may have to hit a reasonable iron for your third shot into a par-5,” said Harrington, who shares eighth with Graeme McDowell on a five-under 139 after a 69. “I grew up with par-5s that were a drive and a long iron, not a drive and a wedge. The course gave up a lot today and I think the guys that can manage the wind would prefer the tougher challenge.”

It was day when players could go on the offensive. Phil Mickelson, the champion in 2013, needed to attack and he shaved seven shots of his opening 76 with a 69 to make the cut.