Denmark's Thomas Bjorn amazingly birdied the first five holes in the Masters today to charge into a share of fifth place at Augusta National.
On greens softened by some heavy morning rain, Bjorn raced through the field from two over par to three under and was only two strokes behind joint leaders Sergio Garcia and Davis Love.
Bjorn had been four over par for the first six holes yesterday, but his start this morning left him needing only one more birdie before the turn to equal the greatest outward half in Masters history.
The run of birdies came to an end on the 180-yard sixth, but a par three there meant he had played the first six in a mere 18 strokes.
Ireland's Padraig Harrington had come within one of the record yesterday with his front-nine 31 and after six holes today he was also right in the thick of things at three under.
Harrington, who fell from six under to three under over the closing six holes of his opening round, hit his approach to a mere three feet on the 435-yard first and, with overnight leader Love having bogeyed the hole moments before, the Dubliner was back in a tie for top spot.
However, he sent his tee shot to the 205-yard fourth long and right, failed to get up and down and bogeyed.
Garcia saved a great par at the first, finding sand off the tee and then missing the green, but his birdie at the short fourth gave Love company again.
World number two Phil Mickelson, meanwhile, birdied the long second to join Argentina's Angel Cabrera on four under.
Ulsterman Darren Clarke parred the first four to remain two under, but it was not such a good morning for other Europeans.
Sandy Lyle managed only 40 for the outward half and went from one over to five over - he then bogeyed the 10th as well - and Seve Ballesteros turned in 41 and crashed from three over to eight over.
Ian Woosnam, troubled by a bad back, resumed on five over and after a front-nine 38 was heading out as well, while Lee Westwood looked to be another early departure until he birdied the eighth and ninth to get back to two over.
The cut was expected to fall at either three or four over, which meant a battle was on for Nick Faldo, Colin Montgomerie, Paul Lawrie and British amateur champion Michael Hoey, all three over overall.
Faldo arrived on the first tee to find himself on his own. Hal Sutton pulled out before the start yesterday with a side strain and this morning Frank Lickliter decided not to continue because of a hand injury.
The day, of course, was bound to be a memorable one, Arnold Palmer having announced after his opening 89 that this would be his final Masters round. Indeed his final major championship round.
All available members of the famous 'Arnie's Army' were on parade to give him a fitting farewell.
PA