South African Roger Wessels showed what was possible at Gleneagles by going to the turn in a brilliant 31 strokes in the Diageo Championship today.
After two days dominated by high scoring - there was a 17, a 12, an 11, a 10, three nines and 13 sevens yesterday alone - Wessels raced from seven over to two over and from 58th place to 17th.
After grabbing birdies at the second and fifth the 42-year-old had three more in a row from the seventh.
He then went on to birdie the 11th but two bogeys at the 15th and 16th marred a fine round and the South African finished on three over par with a 68.
It was a welcome boost for Wessels who has missed his last four halfway cuts and lies a lowly 158th on the Order of Merit.
In contrast, first man out Philip Archer showed there was still plenty of trouble about as he took 42 shots for the same nine holes. Archer double-bogeyed the second and third, then bogeyed the sixth and ninth to slump to 14 over.
Denmark's Soren Kjeldsen led overnight at four under - one ahead of England's former Ryder Cup player Paul Broadhurst and two in front of Australian Brad Kennedy and Dutchman Rolf Muntz.
Sandy Lyle was four back after a closing double bogey seven last night and Colin Montgomerie and 49-year-old Sam Torrance five behind.