The Scottish foursome of Marc Warren, Richie Ramsay, Paul Lawrie and Russell Knox combined to send the Saltire flag high on the mast on two Tour’s and on two different continents.
Warren kept the Portugal Masters second round lead adding a 65 to his opening 63 before being joined on 14-under par very late in the day by England’s and defending champion, Andy Sullivan.
Sullivan, with close to 75 cheering ‘Sulli’s Army’ supporters cheering him one, was in sizzling form posting a bogey-free 10-under par 61 in ideal scoring conditions on the Oceanico Victoria course at Vilamoura.
Sullivan also matched Ramsay’s earlier 10-under par 61 with the Scot grabbing 11 birdies, including five in succession near the start of his round, in a career-best score, and with the duo just a more than Scott Jamieson’s 2013 course record low.
Scotland’s Marc Warren on route to sharing the lead on day two of the Portugal Masters. (Photo – European Tour)
Tied with Ramsay, in 11th place but only four off the lead, is Lawrie, who grabbed seven birdies and dropped just two shots, in a second straight 66.
Jamieson is just a shot back of Ramsay and Lawrie after the Glaswegian’s second day 64 that included being eight under through 14 holes and dropping his only shot at the 16th.
The efforts of the four European Tour based Scots did the memory of Arnold Palmer proud given the Euro 3m event is the first Palmer designed course to host an event since the passing of ‘The King’ late last month.
Then there’s Knox, and in the second event of the 2016/17 PGA Tour schedule, shooting a nine-under par 63 and just two off the TPC Kuala Lumpur course record on day two of the CIMB Classic in steamy Kuala Lumpur.
Knox birdied his closing four holes *and head to the weekend in a three-way tie for third place and just three behind defending champion, Justin Thomas.
It was Knox’s best round since a 63 on route to losing out in a play-off for the 2014 Honda Classic title.
The biggest disappointment was Stirling’s Craig Lee who bogeyed the last in a fighting 66 for a three under par tally but just one shot out of making the cut and also holding onto his card for 2017.
Lee teed-up in Portugal lying 109th on the Race to Dubai, and just two places inside the dreaded 111th cut-off mark but now will find himself ending the season around 114th on the money list.
Lee was four under for his round after 11 holes and while he bogeyed 12, the Scot birdied his 13th and then brilliantly eagled the next.
No such concern for Warren who continues to impress after finishing fifth in the recent Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, and now well in line for a fourth Tour success.
He said: “I had been kind of looking over your shoulder a little bit a few weeks ago and looking to get inside the top 110.
“Once I had a good finish at Dunhill taking care of that, I feel as if a bit of pressure has come off and can look forward and try to qualify for some events at the end of the year.
“It’s a much nicer place to be playing your golf, as opposed to looking backwards all the time.”
There was only one way Ramsay was headed and that was forward to a best round since a similar 61 in the 2014 European Masters, and then dedicating his effort to seven-month old daughter, Olivia
He said: “This round came out of nowhere as my game has been in a little bit of a downturn of late but that was for my daughter as she’s my smallest supporter but also one of my biggest.
“She needed something to shout about as dad hasn’t been playing all that good of late, so it was great round.
“I have to admit I had a little thought of maybe getting to 59 but I can’t complain in shooting 10-under, and anytime you shoot 10-under it has to be a great day.”
Bathgate’s Stephen Gallacher, and 128th on the money list, kept alive hopes of breaking into the top-111 adding a 68 to his opening 67 to be at seven under par.
And 7,200 miles away Knox was well in contention for a third PGA Tour success inside 12 months and just a week prior to the defence of his WGC – HSBC Champions crown.
He said: “This course, because of the conditions, you have to make loads of birdies. So aim at the pin and try and hole the putts.
“I thought teeing-up I could shoot maybe five, six under and that would be a great score, and then I just started making putts after putts.
“I got on a nice little role there and very pleased with my score.
“And I’m really looking forward to next week. This week here in KL was all about gaining some momentum for next week.
“I’ve never had a chance to defend a professional tournament before, so next week will be a thrill.
“That was great today as I knew after being two-under yesterday, I needed a super round in order to get back into it as the conditions will probably be pretty amazing all week.”
