England's Barry Lane, 51 later this month, has given himself another chance to become The European Tour's oldest-ever winner.
In his 673rd event of his career on the circuit - only 33 fewer than record-holder Sam Torrance - Lane moved into a share of sixth place early in his second round of the Saab Wales Open at The Celtic Manor Resort.
The former Ryder Cup player had appeared to be more in a battle to survive the halfway cut when he stood two over par after ten holes of his opening round, but then came five birdies in an inward 30.
For the second day running he birdied the 485 yard 14th - rated by Graeme McDowell the hardest hole on the course - and that took him to four under par, alongside the defending champion and three behind pacesetter Keith Horne.
Lane, a member of the 1993 Ryder Cup team at The Belfry, came only 50th in the US Senior PGA Championship last week, but early last season he showed what he can still do against players half his age with a third place finish in India.
The oldest winner in European Tour history remains Ireland's Des Smyth, who was 48 when he captured the Madeira Island Open a decade ago.
South African Horne and McDowell were among the later starters, but Darren Clarke was quickly back in action and he was another on four under after a birdie on the long 11th, his opening hole.
Lane slipped back to three under with a bogey on the short 17th - his seventh - but another former Ryder Cup player made an even greater impact.
Paul Broadhurst, unbeaten when he earned his one cap 20 years ago at Kiawah Island, was given an invitation to the event after losing his European Tour card last year and birdies at the 11th and 12th took him alongside Horne at seven under.
They were one ahead of Swede Peter Hanson and Spain's Alvaro Velasco.
