It is almost as if Langer possesses a masochistic streak, he performs so well on difficult courses.

But it has more to do with the superb discipline of a master craftsman. "The way the course is set up, the best way to play it is obviously to hit a lot of fairways and greens," he said with utter simplicity.

The only two fairways he missed were the 15th and 16th and he managed to escape with pars in each case. Indeed the general quality of his iron-play was such that it was difficult to believe he was still affected by the muscle spasm in his neck which caused him to withdraw from the USPGA Championship last week.

His only bogey came at the second, where he gave back the shot he gained with a two-putt birdie at the first. But from the third, he covered the remaining holes in seven under par, carding five birdies and an eagle. And despite sending his drive at the ninth clattering off the timber which dominates the right side of the fairway, he agreed "it would have been a shame to cut that tree down."

In a homeward journey of 31, the best of the tournament so far, Langer had a stunning run of four threes - birdie, par, eagle, birdie - from the 11th to the 14th. His eagle at the long 13th was the product of a holed bunker shot of 35 feet.

Meanwhile, though he languishes in 95th position in the current Order of Merit, Rivero conceded in faltering English that he is "getting better." It seemed a fair assessment of an eight-birdie round of 66 - especially on a day when, yet again, The K Club was giving precious little away.