Ian Woosnam showed the sort of form that once made him world number one as he finished just a stroke behind halfway leader Swede Robert Karlsson in the European Players' Championship today.
Europe's Ryder Cup captain, winner of the 1991 US Masters, has found a new lease of life through a dramatic cure for perennial back problems and with a fundamental putting change.
The 48-year-old Welshman added six birdies to the nine he claimed yesterday as he carded a six-under-par 66 to surge to 13-under-par 131.
He shares second place with the first round leader Lee Westwood and Gary Orr.
World number five Retief Goosen, making a late run for his third European order of merit, and his South African compatriot Charl Schwartzel, share fifth place, two strokes off the pace.
Leader Karlsson is one of several players at Gut Kaden in Hamburg trying to seal a place in Woosnam's team with a 600,000 points win.
He set up the chance of a second success of the year after victory in the Wales Open, with a seven-birdie 66.
Woosnam's rediscovered energy has much to do with a revolutionary drug he uses once a week and which has helped his stricken friend and former tour winner Michael King, who has been crippled by arthritis.
"I spoke to Michael King about six weeks ago," said Woosnam. "After taking these injections he's like a new man. He couldn't walk 200 yards and now he's playing on the senior's tour.
"So I decided to take them four weeks ago. They are expensive, £200 a week, and you inject yourself. They've made a big difference.
"It's taken a lot of stiffness out of my back and it's given me the freedom to swing."
Woosnam, seeking to be the European Tour's oldest winner, said that because of the injections he felt none of the stiffness he could have expected after taking a 2-1/2 hour break for a thunderstorm in the first round.
After shooting a 65 yesterday, Woosnam was delighted to also see his putting fortunes change and today he had another successful day with the putter.
"I'm swinging naturally again and I've putted the best I have for ten years in the last two days," Woosnam said.
"My putting has been so bad. But this week I've moved the ball back in my stance and tried keeping my feet square to the target. It doesn't look very pretty, it doesn't feel very pretty but it's put me on the right line."
Padraig Harrington leads the Irish challenge. The Dubliner is just three shots off the lead after a fine 65 today. Damien McGrane and Paul McGinley are also going great guns at nine and eight under respectively. Graeme McDowell is six under and will be around for the weekend.
However, Peter Lawrie (-3), David Higgins (-2), Michael Hoey (-1), Gary Murphy (level) and Stephen Browne (+3) all missed the cut.
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