Scotland’s Pete Whiteford picked up five shots in his last four holes to take the clubhouse lead midway through the second round of the Nordea Masters.
The Ballantine’s Championship runner-up turned in 33, dropped his only shot of the day at the tenth then birdied the 12th and 13th.
A pitch-in eagle at the par five 15th sparked Whiteford’s remarkable finish, and the 32 year old did not need to hole a putt longer than five feet as he birdied the 16th, 17th and 18th after some marvellous approach play.
That gave Whiteford a nine under par 63 and ten under halfway total, two clear of home favourites Jonas Blixt and Alex Noren at Bro Hof Slott in Sweden.
"I have been swinging pretty well over the past month but today was special," said Whiteford.
"It was near perfect conditions and the golf course is in great shape."
The 30 year old Noren won this event by a runaway seven shots two years ago and the three-time European Tour winner hit the front again by turning in a two under par 34.
Birdies at the tenth and 17th took Noren to seven under par, and he gained further shots with a putt from off the green at the third and ten footer at the fourth before a combination of Whiteford’s stunning conclusion to his round and a bogey at the eighth cost him the lead.
Blixt was bogey-free in his 66, a putt from 12 feet at the fourth providing one of six birdies.
Past and present Ryder Cup stars Thomas Björn and Francesco Molinari were both round in 67 to sit seven under par.
Overnight leaders Pablo Larrazábal and Matteo Manassero were among the afternoon starters, but the Italian birdied the first to join Björn and Molinari on seven under.
Manassero, who became the youngest winner of The European Tour’s Flagship BMW PGA Championship last weekend, bogeyed the fourth but responded with gains at the sixth and eighth to turn in 34 and move into a share of second.
