Henrik Stenson bogeyed his last two holes, but still held a share of the lead at the BMW International Open at the midway point of the second round in Munich.
The former Ryder Cup Swede had gone three clear with a chip-in eagle at the long sixth - his 15th - and tap-in birdie on the next.
But Stenson missed the green at the short eighth and after dropping a stroke there he hit his approach to the 557 yard ninth into the ditch just short of the green.
Taking six there meant a round of 70 to add to his sparkling opening 64 for a halfway total of 134, ten under par.
"It's never fun to finish with two bogeys, but you gain some, you lose some," he said.
"I'm in a good position and I'm feeling very good."
South African George Coetzee was one behind with four holes to go, but then went into the water on the sixth - a hole that cost 53 year old Bernhard Langer a quadruple bogey nine earlier - and took six.
Alongside him were Scot Paul Lawrie, Dutchman Tim Sluiter and Welshman Bradley Dredge, in with a 66 as he tries to make amends for losing a three shot lead on the final day a year ago.
Italian 18 year old Matteo Manassero and Spain`s Sergio Garcia, who needs a top four finish to have a chance of grabbing one of two Open Championship spots on offer this weekend, were on four under.
Colin Montgomerie, also not in the Sandwich field yet, matched Stenson's eagle at the sixth, but a 72 kept him at two under.
Coetzee came back from his six with back-to-back birdies to draw level with Stenson and a closing par gave the 24 year old from Pretoria a second successive 67.
Lawrie, on the other hand, fell four back by following a bogey at the seventh with a double bogey seven on the ninth.
