A remarkable transformation lifted young Swede Marcus Kinhult to a two-stroke halfway lead at the French Open, after a stunning comeback from a wretched start to the tournament.
Kinhult, according to the European Tour, is the first player to take a halfway lead after starting a tournament with four straight bogeys.
Ranked 183rd in the world, he carded a second-round six-under-par 65, the low score of the week at Le Golf National in Paris, where punishing rough and numerous water hazards make for a stern test.
He posted a six-under 136 total to head Englishman Chris Wood (68) by two strokes, with Spanish world number five Jon Rahm (69) and first-round leader Bradley Dredge of Wales (73) three back.
American Justin Thomas (70) joined a group of four trailing by four shots, but last year's champion Tommy Fleetwood missed the cut.
Scott Hend and Wade Ormsby are the best-placed Australians in a tie for 30th at two over.
Hend carded a two under 69 on Friday, which included seven birdies and five bogeys, while Ormsby was even with a 71.
Sam Brazel (72) is a shot futher back while Brett Rumford (75) made the cut on the number at four over.
Even a bogey at the last did not detract from the quality of 21-year-old Kinhult's performance.
"I got off to a great start and played well from there," said Kinhult, who picked up four strokes in the first four holes, including an eagle at the par-five third.
"I was six-under on the front nine, which is great so, yeah, happy."
World No.2 Thomas was disappointed not to be closer to the lead given the quality of his performance in his first appearance in the event.
A double-bogey at the 17th marred an otherwise mistake-free day, a blemish he blamed on a "freaky little wind" switch that carried his ball into a hazard.
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