Justin Rose did not think he had ever shot a better round of 68 as he conquered the tougher half of the draw to sit just two shots off the lead heading into the weekend at The 152nd Open Championship.
The Englishman's three under par effort matched the lowest round of the day and was all the more impressive given he achieved it with an early-late draw, with those players statistically faring worse at Royal Troon.
Higher winds had made it more difficult for all the field on Friday but Rose made four birdies and a single bogey to better his opening round by one shot and move to five under.
"I think today it tipped over the edge where the elements were in control, meaning that you were aiming right of a pin and slicing the ball and seeing the ball hook," he said.
"So the wind had all the control on the ball. The player couldn't have control over the wind. I think that's the tipping point today.
"Yesterday I felt like it was playable. I felt like it was a fair fight yesterday. Today just kind of was a bit more survival.
"Yesterday was a pretty smooth plain sailing, 16 greens, a lot of tap-in pars. Today was the perfect match. For me I think what was good about it was I had to grind. It was a perfect mix of playing well and fighting well.
"I had to up-and-down the ball a few more times today, had to hole those horrible five, six-footers where you're over the ball and you're sort of being buffeted by the wind and that really kind of can make you feel off kilter to sort of make a solid stroke.
"You're fighting through every moment like that on the course and I think that was what I did a good job of today as well as playing well."
Should Rose triumph this week, he will become the first English winner of The Open since Sir Nick Faldo in 1992 but the 43-year-old insisted that history was not on his mind.
Biggest roar of the week so far.
— The Open (@TheOpen) July 19, 2024
A birdie on the 18th for Justin Rose.
What a round. pic.twitter.com/4qSnbLEISG
“It would be nice,” he said. “When I won the 2013 US Open it was like, ‘First (Englishman) since Tony Jacklin (in 1970)’, and they are nice moments when they come together, but you are never thinking of it.
“In the moment you are just trying to get the job done.”
Key to Rose’s success has been the ability to avoid significant damage with just one bogey - coming at the 12th in his second round - in 36 holes.
Rose believes the focus that having to come through Final Qualifying earlier this month gave him has helped.
“I look back at Burnham and Berrow - we played in a really tough westerly breeze and I think even that little bit of experience of getting back playing some tough links golf has probably help me a little bit these last two days," he added.
