Indeed, we seemed to be witnessing a carry-over from the Oxfordshire when birdies at the first (drive, six iron to 12 feet), fourth (on in two) and sixth (fourfoot putt), brought him to the turn in 32.

Lapses in concentration, however, cost him shots at the 11th, 14th and 15th, though he finished strongly. After driving into a bunker at the last, he hit a majestic wedge third shot of 117 yards to within a few inches of the 18th pin for a closing birdie. "The greens are fantastic, but I found them very difficult to read," he said afterwards.

McGinley empathised with that view after three-putting four times on the way to a 72. Given that he also double-bogeyed the first, where he was in trouble all the way from tee to green, he deserved full marks for resilience. "I couldn't seem to get the pace of the greens, but that won't happen tomorrow," he vowed afterwards.

Meanwhile, Montgomerie had a novel solution. Referring to the journalist who won a £189,000 Lamborghini for a hole in one earlier this week, he said: "I must take a leaf out of Derek Lawrenson's book and not bother to putt."