Thomas Bjorn, noticeably quiet on and off the course since his astonishing verbal outburst on Ian Woosnam last September, maintained his challenge for the CA World Championship in Miami today.
One behind Henrik Stenson and Robert Allenby overnight, Bjorn was in the first group to tee off in the second round and went to the turn in an impressive two under par 34 to sit alongside Stenson on six under.
The Dane has fallen to 58th in the world rankings, his lowest position for eight years, and had expected to be rusty this week after taking four weeks off.
"I took a bit of a holiday and got away from the game, then started working back in England," said Bjorn, who has a home at Wentworth and, like Stenson, is coached by Yorkshireman Pete Cowen.
"It's been a couple of tough months (10th is his best finish in five starts this season) and I just want to get back to playing my golf and do what I do best — and that's to get my nose in some big tournaments here and there.
"I'm building for the summer and that's the important thing for me."
On in two at the par five first Bjorn disappointingly three-putted for par, but made a 14-footer on the third.
His one real setback was a tee shot into the water on the short fourth, but he limited the damage to a bogey four and then holed birdie putts from 14 and eight feet on the sixth and eighth.
A chip to two feet at the first enabled Stenson to pick up where he left off and he and Bjorn were one ahead of Allenby, who had yet to resume.
Sergio Garcia birdied the first and third to leap from joint 10th to joint fourth on three under, but defending champion Tiger Woods, winner on his last visits to the Doral Blue Monster course, remained a danger when he also birdied the first and improved to two under.
Ireland's Padraig Harrinton is two under for his second round through 10 holes and one-under for the tournament. PA
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