It was Billy Foster, and the former long-time caddy to Lee Westwood, who asked ‘Sponge’ if he would caddy for South African Branden Grace for the recent Perth International in Western Australia.

And Foster said to ‘Sponge’:  “By the way I hear Martin Laird is looking for a new caddy, so give his manager a call and see what works out.”

‘Sponge’, so named for his sponge-like hair, used to caddy for former Australian great Rodger Davis while he helped steep fellow New Zealander, Michael Campbell to success by two shots against a fast-finishing Tiger Woods in the 2005 U.S. Open at Pinehurst.

Earlier this year Waite spent a spell also with Westwood when Foster was out injured but now after selling his Subway franchise on Australia’s Gold Coast, Sponge is caddying for Laird.

“Sponge tells me he must have caddied in more than 100 rounds around Royal Melbourne so he’s been the big key to me playing so well this week,” said Laird.

“And when we came out here on Monday for the first time, I simply said to him just tell me where to hit it and that’s what I’ve continued to do.

“Royal Melbourne is the type of course where the more you play the more you get to know the slopes and that’s what I’ve learned over these two rounds.

“So he’s been around this course probably more than any other caddy here this week and that has made my first appearance here a lot easier.”

However Laird let slip a share of third place when he bogeyed the last in a second round of 72 to be tied in fifth place on three under par but only five behind Dane Thomas Bjorn.

Bjorn, 42 moved one clear of the 60-player field with a 68 for an eight under par tally.

And Bjorn then hinted his hope of representing Denmark in the 2016 Olympics in Brazil.

“I have always watched coverage of the Olympic Games and as a sportsman you want to be there,” he said.

“So it’s always been in my mind to compete in at least one Olympic Games.

“But then since turning 40 I have been playing some of the best golf of my career but then I also have to stay healthy and stay focussed.”

However when golf does return to the Olympics will be 45 years of age but then Bjorn has shown he has lost none of his competitive edge winning four of his 17 career European Tour victories since turning 40.

Bathgate’s Stephen Gallacher continues to struggle on the ‘Grand Old Lady’ of Australian golf course adding a 71 to his opening 74 to sharing 35th place.

Each time he managed a birdie on day two, at the 2nd, 6th, 11th and 15th holes , Gallacher then bogeyed the next.