Four days after his 45th birthday, Colin Montgomerie finally breathed new life into his career in Paris today.
Montgomerie, six months into a year that has seen him fall out of the world's top 100 for the first time since 1990, birdied the final two holes of his second round of the French Open at Le Golf National to join Lee Westwood in third place - two shots behind England's David Lynn and Spanish rookie Pablo Larrazabal.
The eight-time European number one hit a five-iron to four feet, then an eight-iron over water to seven feet to finish in real style and when asked if he felt good about the weekend, he replied: "Very good.
"If I can be patient and hole a fair share then I have a chance.
"I had 16 holes of utter, utter frustration and I hate to say the birdies were deserved, but the way I played that was the very minimum I deserved.
"That was as good as I can play from tee to green. I've hit 33 greens in regulation out of 36 round here, which is back to the way that I used to play and win tournaments - through lack of mistakes.
"It wasn't the amount of putts that I holed, it was the amount of mistakes I didn't make. That's good, that's the way that I like to play golf."
Westwood, meanwhile, is looking good to make instant amends for his US Open near-miss - and to give himself the perfect boost ahead of The Open.
Like Montgomerie, Westwood has also been easy to spot on the opening two days. He was another standing on the fairway while others almost literally disappeared into the hay.
"I don't think I've seen rough as bad as this since Carnoustie in 1999 - it's chest-high at points," said the man who eight years ago ended the Scot's long reign in Europe.
Westwood could be back at the top of the Order of Merit on Sunday night - and would have been if he had triumphed at Torrey Pines two weeks ago rather than finishing one behind Tiger Woods and Rocco Mediate.
"I'm constantly being told 'well played' this week, but while that's great and nice to hear sometimes you want to forget about (the US Open) and concentrate on the French Open," he said.
"It looks like a great result to everyone else (it was his best major), but at the same time it wasn't a win, so it is always in the back of your mind that you didn't win it."
Westwood, in fact, has yet to lift a trophy this year, but his confidence is sky-high and it went up another notch with his bogey-free 68.
"I've managed to stay well away from the rough and that's the key around here," he added. "I'm all for long rough, but there are a couple of places where it is only four yards off the fairway.
"I think that's a bit severe, but with the course firm and bouncy it's almost like playing a links and great practice for The Open."
Qualifier Larrazabal, one in front after his opening 65, was in the first group out at 7.30am, while Lynn did not finish until nearly 12 hours later and made it a tie at the top by sinking a bunker shot at the last for a superb 65.
"I was so frustrated when I finished with a seven on the ninth yesterday," said the Stoke golfer, whose only Tour win was in Holland four years ago. "But I knew I was playing well and the wind died the last few holes."
World number 481 Larrazabal commented: "They are the big stars and I am the rookie. To know that I can play like them is great for me, very positive."
Last year's US Open champion Angel Cabrera and Spaniard Ignacio Garrido joined Larrazabal, but both double-bogeyed the 17th to fall two back.
They are alongside not only Westwood and Montgomerie, but also Dubliner Peter Lawrie, who added a 71 to his initial 66.
Dutchman Robert-Jan Derksen and Thai Chapchai Nirat both had holes-in-one, but because Derksen's came at the 175-yard 16th rather than 210-yard second he was the one to win a BMW car. They both missed the cut, however.
So did Darren Clarke, by a single shot. His frustration boiled over when he threw a club off the seventh tee.
"First time, I think, I have ever done that in my pro career," he said. "It was just one of those things, but I would berate my son if he did it."
As a result of his early exit, Clarke will be at the 36-hole Open qualifying at Sunningdale on Monday.
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