Gregory Havret’s love affair with Scotland continued on Thursday when he shot a superb 68 to take a two shot lead into the second round of the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles.
The Frenchman, who beat Phil Mickelson in a play-off for last year's Scottish Open at Loch Lomond, looked formidable in surging to five under par.
He started on the back nine and by the time he reached the turn he was three under after birdies at the 12th, 14th and 17th.
A bogey at the first – his tenth – slowed his charge, but a hat-trick of birdies from the fourth put him two ahead of the chasing pack of Robert Rock, Paul Broadhurst, Gary Orr and Christian Cavaer.
He said: “I played really solid golf. Especially on four, five and six but also 17 I birdied. I didn't really play well the easiest ones, but, well, that's the way it was today.”
The performance of Havret was especially surprising given he is just returning from a five-week break that began after The Open Championship.
“I had a nice run at the end of The Open, four cuts in a row, nice finish at The Open, top 20 and I felt like I really needed a break. I wanted to take four weeks off, but at the end of the fourth one, I felt like I needed another one to enjoy my family and the summer in France.
“I was not also really playing good with my mind, and I thought it was probably better to stay home instead of going because I have to go. I thought it was better to stay and enjoy the family and everything, and go and play the other ones with a free mind.”
People with more on their mind are the contingent vying for Ryder Cup places.
Lee Westwood, who has already qualified surged to three under through nine, but fell back to a one under par 72 that included a four-putt double bogey at the 461 yard fifth.
Playing with Westwood was England's Oliver Wilson, in the tenth and last automatic Cup qualifying spot entering the week and under threat from Martin Kaymer, Ross Fisher and Nick Dougherty.
Like Westwood, Wilson double-bogeyed the fifth and managed only a three over 76, but so did Kaymer after losing a ball at the 320 yard 14th and taking six there.
Fisher did better with a 72, but he has to finish third to have a chance, while Dougherty, who needs first or second place, battled away for a 73.
"Must do better," Wilson commented. "The greens are not overly smooth, but I felt I was a little bit unlucky - every time I hit it in the rough I got a bad lie.
"I don't think I've blown myself out of it. I could have done, but I didn't."
Dougherty, who like Kaymer has had the trauma of losing his mother in the past few months, admits he is mentally exhausted.
"Even if someone has to cart me into the car on Sunday and I've done all I can I can be pleased and proud of myself."
Justin Rose and Soren Hansen are not yet safe at eighth and ninth on the points table, but by scoring level par and two under respectively they have no cause to lose any sleep yet.
For Darren Clarke, Colin Montgomerie and Paul McGinley, meanwhile, the task is to try to impress Faldo enough to hand them one of his two wild cards.
Clarke, winner in Holland on Sunday, was satisfied with a 72 and Montgomerie said a 74 "by no means" put him out of things, but McGinley could do no better than 76.
Clarke said: “It's a good score I think. It was tricky out there. The wind was moving about a little bit.
“I just have to go play. I hit a lot of good shots, a couple of clear ones, didn't quite get behind the ball as I wanted to and consequently pulled a few. Overall I'm pretty pleased. One under par in those conditions I think is a good score.”