The sharp upturn in fortunes of Europe's Ryder Cup team extended to vice-captain Ian Woosnam today in the second round of the £1.8million Linde German Masters.
Woosnam stormed to the top of the leaderboard at Gut Larchenhof with a brilliant 64. His round was helped by four birdies in his first six holes.
Starting on the 10th after a 20-minute delay due to early-morning fog, the former world number one birdied the 10th, 12th and 13th, and rolled in three more birdies in a row from the 15th to be out in 30 and into a two-shot lead at 10-under par.
Another birdie putt dropped from eight feet on the first and two huge blows on the 555-yard third left him a simple pitch to three feet for his eighth birdie of the day.
The course record of 63 set by Rodger Davis four years ago was now firmly in his sights, but the chance of that effectively disappeared when his problem with short putts re-appeared.
After playing a superb bunker shot to two feet, Woosnam missed from two feet for his par, but a birdie on the eighth saw him home in 34 for a 12-under total of 132.
"The shakes on those little putts still haven't gone away but I holed some monsters so I can't complain," said Woosnam.
"The greens are much smoother first thing in the morning and with no wind the course is playing its easiest, at least two shots easier than yesterday afternoon.
Woosnam, holds a one-shot lead over England's Warren Bennett who finished with five birdies in his last six holes for a 66.
Lee Westwood, down to 133rd in the world rankings after two years without a win, carded a hugely encouraging 67, a round he described as his best of the season, to lie five off the lead on seven-under.
Colin Montgomerie appeared to have banished any concerns over his long-standing back injury by finishing on the same total after going one better with a 66, a score matched by playing partner Padraig Harrington.
The Irishman improved to nine under-despite injuring the other side of his neck to the one previously bothering him, after yet another practice session on the driving range late last evening.
"I really didn't think I'd be playing this morning," said Harrington, who has been battling neck and ankle injuries in recent weeks. "I could not sleep at all last night, I couldn't find any position that wasn't painful.
Portrush rookie Graeme McDowell looks to have done enough to make the cut with today's 68 leaving the 23-year-old on three-under.
Paul McGinley was still on the course and was making progress to be two-under for his round after 11 holes, four-under overall.
Des Smyth, however, has his work cut out if he wants be around for the weekend. At level par the Drogheda veteran needs to find at least two birdies in his last five holes. PA