Ryder Cup Captain Colin Montgomerie looked to be back to his best as the Scot stormed into a share of the lead during the second round of The Celtic Manor Wales Open.
Without a top ten finish for almost a year and little more than two weeks away from his 46th birthday, Montgomerie travelled to the cup venue complaining of a total loss of confidence in his game.
An opening 69 at The Celtic Manor Resort had left the eight time Order of Merit winner in a share of 19th, but he birdied four of his opening five holes having started at the 11th – only a bogey on the 485 yard 14th preventing him taking the sole lead.
That birdie blitz took Montgomerie – who will lead Europe’s Ryder Cup side on the Twenty Ten course next year – into a six-way tie for the lead on five under par.
France’s Jean-Baptiste Gonnet was also three under for the day through ten holes to join Montgomerie, along with overnight co-leaders Thomas Björn, Alan McLean and David Frost – the latter yet to tee off his second round.
England’s Robert Rock also advanced to five under with three birdies and a bogey over his first seven holes.
England’s Nick Dougherty – who was in a four-way share of the lead overnight – temporarily led on his own after going to six under but the Liverpool golfer, fourth here last year, dropped a couple of shots to go into the group on four under.
