Richard Bland came home in just 28 shots on Friday to vault himself into contention at the Turkish Airlines Open and then revealed home may have been a vital factor in his stunning run.
Starting on the tenth, Bland turned in level par 37 with nine pars, but then picked up seven birdies on the front nine to sit just two shots behind leader Zaco Van Zyl going into the weekend.
The Englishman birdied the first, second, third, fourth, sixth, eighth and ninth holes to get to 12 under and revealed some news received on the first fairway focused his mind out on the Montgomerie Maxx Royal layout.
"I got told in the middle of the first fairway that I had sold my house, and I thought, 'all right, better try to pay for the new one', so that was that," he joked.
Going along the front nine, I thought I was playing all right and just not doing anything. I couldn't really get it close to the flag and then the back nine it just clicked and I holed a few nice putts. Back in 28. Strange game - Richard Bland
Bland is searching for his first European Tour win at the 372nd attempt and is in good form with three top 25 finishes in his last four starts.
The 42 year old is 81st in The Race to Dubai and is hoping to extend his season by thriving in Turkey and cracking the top 60 to make it to the BMW Masters and end of season DP World Tour Championship.
"It's huge to play these," he said. "I've had a pretty steady season, nothing spectacular, but I've got nothing to lose here.
"If I don't get into China in a couple of weeks, my season is done. I'll just try and enjoy it, try to free up and just play, not carefree golf but just trying to be a little bit more aggressive.
"If it doesn't come off, it doesn't come off. And if it does, then hopefully I can play a little bit more this year. But to get to these events is fantastic."
Chris Wood sits alongside Bland after a second consecutive 66 and he is aiming for a second win of the season after claiming the Lyoness Open Powered by Greenfinity title in June.
The 27 year old has now shot 12 straight rounds in the 60s and is delighted with his form after overcoming a wrist injury earlier in the year.
"I broke my scaphoid bone in my wrist and the Tour wrist specialist, Doug Campbell, did a great job with me through the winter, but it was quite a long road back," he said.
"So it's a relief more than anything to be playing such nice golf.
"I cut into Jaco's lead today which I was looking to do. Hopefully catch him tomorrow, maybe pass him, who knows?
"But I want to give myself a chance on Sunday."
Matthew Fitzpatrick shot the round of the day on Friday as he recorded nine birdies and nine pars in a 63 that was ten shots better than his opening round.
The 21 year old is six shots behind Van Zyl but has five top threes this season to go with his victory at the British Masters supported by Sky Sports and the Sir Henry Cotton Rookie of the Year contender is stunned to be 11th in The Race to Dubai.
"To be there for my first year on Tour is something that I never expected," he said. "It's exceeded my expectations and I'll just hopefully keep climbing up."
Fitzpatrick went out in 31 on Friday and then registered a run of four birdies from the 13th to fly up the leaderboard and he credited improved putting for his impressive display.
"I just holed some putts today," he said. "Yesterday I did give myself a lot of chances. I hit 15, 16 greens, all good chances for birdie, but made two birdie putts all day. That was the difference today. I gave myself a chance again and just holed them.
"It shows that there's a low one out there for me. Two more of those and hopefully that will do the trick, give myself a little bit more of a chance and I'm back in the tournament now."
