Connor Syme was happy to build on his encouraging showing last week as he finished day one of the KLM Open just one shot off the lead.
While Syme finished only in a tie for 59th place at the Austrian Alpine Open presented by SalzburgerLand, a closing 69 and a first made cut since March's Joburg Open planted seeds of optimism.
And with his putter finally heating up in Amsterdam, an opening 65 left the Scot six under par and on the heels of leader Ricardo Gouveia.
Eight birdies, including three in a row from the seventh, were offset by only two dropped shots and Syme said: "It was a good day, really good, putted a lot better today.
"I saw some good signs last week so it was nice to keep that going into this week. I played really well on Sunday so it was nice to make some putts on top of the good shots as well."
Playing in one of the later groups, after a 90-minute storm delay had softened the course in places, Syme was happy to take advantage.
"I think we definitely got a little bit of a break with it," he said of the stoppage, which came while he was warming up for his round.
"It was still tricky with the rain but I felt like there were a few shots where the greens had softened up a bit, a few pins we were able to get at that we might not have been able to this morning.
"It was nice to take advantage of that and hit some really quality shots."
He was joined in the chasing pack by compatriot Richie Ramsay, who shot 66 to finish five under.
Ramsay, in his first appearance since a lay-off due to a virus, did his scoring early on as he responded to a bogey at the second with five birdies and a hole-out eagle in the next six holes.
He said: “I’d obviously had my break after not feeling well and it was nice to feel competitive as I sort of missed that.
“I just tried to enjoy it and it is a course I do enjoy because there is wind and you have to hit lots of different shots and need to hit the ball straight.
“I kind of enjoy that because, if you are off the fairways here, you just can’t score - there’s no chance."
Ramsay credited his family - wife Angela and daughter Olivia - for supporting him through his absence since he contracted the virus in China where he made his last DP World Tour appearance at April's Hainan Classic.
“The big thing about not feeling great was that I had a lot of support at home," he said. "Angela, for instance, took care of Olivia to allow me to get better so that I could get back out here.
“It’s a team effort and when I play I’m trying to play for them a bit to make sure that all the effort they put in is worthwhile.
"I feel that gives me a bit of pressure in a good way because it is coming from a good place.
He added with a laugh: “When you are off, you do see yourself slip a bit in the Race to Dubai Rankings.
"I took the viewpoint that it wasn’t about how many tournaments I missed but how many are left until the end of the year and needing to be as focused and competitive in them as I can be.”
