Ian Poulter could not stop grinning as he traded birdies with Sweden's Freddie Jacobson on his way to snatching the half-way lead in the German Masters at Gut Larchenhof yesterday.
They swapped 33 in all, with Jacobson also throwing in an eagle in his opening 60, but it was the 27-year-old Englishman who came up trumps with rounds of 65 and 63 and not a bogey on either card.
It nudged him to 16 under par on 128 and one stroke clear of Spain's Miguel Jimenez, who shot 62. Jacobson saw a chip roll back into the water for a double-bogey at the short 16th en route to a 71 and 131.
"It was just so funny to see so many putts going in - we're 29 under par between us," said Poulter.
"It couldn't have been much fun for Colin Montgomerie, playing with two guys who holed 30-something putts and I know I wouldn't have been laughing if I wasn't holing anything.
"At this rate the winning score could be 27 to 32 under par because the greens are perfect and the weather is perfect and all the par fives are reachable."
Poulter, the winner of the Wales Open and Nordic Open already this year, will pick up 500,000 Ryder Cup points if he wins tomorrow - half of what it took to clinch the last automatic place for last year's match.
"It's huge but if I keep on hitting golf shots like I am now, I can take care of the Ryder Cup with no problem at all," said Poulter.
Victory would also result in him scrapping plans to have his tonsils removed in the week of November's World Cup in America, almost certainly meaning he, rather than Justin Rose, would partner Paul Casey for England at Kiawah Island. Rose was nine under par yesterday after a 66 and Casey 12 under after a 67.
On another day of might-have-beens, Britain's Miles Tunnicliff and Denmark's Anders Hansen might have made history with the first 59s on the European Tour and Lee Westward might have shot 65 had he not moved an advertising sign.
Tunnicliff raced to the turn in 29 and admitted: "The thought of a 59 popped into my head but I shut it out straight away."
Home in 34, he finished on 63 and was sharing third, on 130, with Spain's Carlos Rodiles.
Hansen, last year's PGA champion, launched his round with six birdies and started for home with four more. He needed another three in the last five holes to break the 60 barrier.
It proved beyond him and he ended with a 62 for 131. Westwood, after his comeback win in Munich three weeks ago, ran up a quadruple bogey eight at the second after tangling with two bunkers and then skimming a recovery onto the third tee.
"There was a sponsor's sign there and I thought all signs were moveable nowadays and took it out to play my shot - I thought I had a six but referee Andy McFee stopped me on the next fairway and said it was a two-shot penalty.
"Apparently the exception are signs on tees - it's silly because I could have taken a free drop and had a much easier shot. Surely a sign is a sign is a sign."
Angry Westwood responded with eight birdies, romping home in 30 for 67 and a six-under 138.
It wasn't a great day for the Irish yesterday. Darren Clarke could only add a 71 to his opening 65, while Paul McGinley's level par 72 left him on five under par. He was one shot ahead of Graeme McDowell, who shot a second consecutive 70 yesterday, to finish right on the four under cut-off point.
Padraig Harrington, Peter Lawrie and Damien McGrane all missed the cut. They were in illustrious company, however, as also packing their bags were Montgomerie, Bernhard Langer and Nick Faldo.
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