Tiger Woods produced a flawless second-round 63 at the Turkish Airlines Open to lie just one shot off the lead at the halfway stage in Antalya.
Unrecognisable from the player who struggled from the tee on Thursday, the world No 1 one fired nine birdies to reach 11 under for the week at the Montgomerie Maxx Royal to sit hot on the heels of a leading group that features Race to Dubai contenders Henrik Stenson and Ian Poulter.
“I played a lot better and made some putts,” said the American, who climbed from 52nd to fifth on the leaderboard on day two.
“I missed some too, so it was a round that could have been really special but I’m right there. We’re going to have to continue going low here given the way the course is set-up.
“The greens are slow, the greens are soft and I expect guys to make a lot of birdies it’s so bunched up there. I’ve just got to go get it.”
The 37-year-old had looked decidedly rusty on day one of his first competitive start for a month, hitting only two fairways over the 10 holes he played to be six off the lead after lightning and heavy rain had delayed Thursday’s action by three hours.
Stenson had birdied four of the last eight holes of his first round upon resuming on Friday morning to surge into a share of the lead, and a second-round 68 was enough to keep the Swede there alongside Poulter, France’s Victor Dubuisson and South African Justin Walters.
Stenson and Poulter are first and fourth in The Race to Dubai with only next week’s DP Tour World Championship remaining in the Tour’s inaugural final series after this event.
Craig Lee is the leading Scot with his 68 leaving him five off the lead on seven under.
Richie Ramsay, Marc Warren andStephen Gallacher are two behind after a second rounds of 69, 70 and 71 respectively.
David Drysale and Scott Jamieson are one under and Colin Montgomerie and Paul Lawrie are level par.