Nicolas Colsaerts felt his game was starting to come together after shooting an impressive 66 to head into the weekend in a share of second at the Nordea Masters.
The big-hitting Belgian was close to losing his playing privileges last season before a late surge saw him finish 97th on the Race to Dubai and he has carried that momentum into 2016.
The 33 year old has made his last five cuts, including a third-placed finish at the AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open, and will tee off on Saturday at Bro Hof Slott Golf Club just three shots behind leader Matthew Fitzpatrick.
He admits he has not yet hit the heights that saw him make the Ryder Cup team in 2012, but he is happy he is getting close to something like his best again.
I wouldn't say I'm back to my best just yet, but I'm getting there and my game seems to be heading in the right direction again - Nicolas Colsaerts
"I feel like I've been playing decent golf for quite a while, but kept throwing in some big mistakes which really killed my momentum.
"I'm finally managing to cut out the mistakes and keep the big numbers off my card."
Colsaerts shares second place with local favourite Alexander Björk, Englishmen Ross Fisher and Andrew Johnston and Scotland's Scott Henry.
Johnston - known affectionately as Beef - finished with three birdies in his last four holes after a 58-minute delay due to local thunderstorms and, rather appropriately, credited a burger for his big finish.
The break was good. I had a burger and that seemed to do the trick! - Andrew Johnston
"I hit a few balls and then went out and made a few birdies, so it worked out well for me.
"I hit a good tee shot on the 15th and a very good second which just missed the green, but I managed to get up and down for birdie. Then I hit it to six feet for another birdie on the 16th and almost holed my approach to the last for a tap-in birdie. It was a great finish."
Fisher fired a second consecutive 68 and while he knows it will be tricky to catch Fitzpatrick, the 35 year old believes he can claim a sixth European Tour title.
"Matt's obviously playing very well, these greens will suit him because he's such a good putter," he said. "So he's going to be difficult to chase down, but if I keep playing the way I have been, then I quite like my chances.
"My big advantage is my length off the tee, and I've shown that with a couple of eagles over the first two days. So if I can keep taking advantage of the par fives, then who knows?"
Lee Westwood is a three-time winner of this event and an experienced campaigner but he admitted golf still baffles him after a 71. The 23-time winner dropped three shots in five holes on the back nine but then finished birdie-birdie-birdie to sit six shots off the lead.
"The longer you play this game, the more stupid and unpredictable it gets," he said. "I started off hitting the ball really well, just couldn't buy a putt. Then I lost my swing around the turn, and got as bit frustrated so the break came at just the right time.
"I had a sit down and a think about things, went back out and hardly missed a shot. So it's a funny old game."
