Scotland’s David Drysdale would be the first to agree that two days are never the same in the ancient club-and-ball game of golf.

Just four days after missing the halfway cut on the same Karen Country Club course, Drysdale went out to superbly produce an eight birdie haul on the opening day of the Kenya Savannah Classic.

The Borders golfer raced to be out in just 29 shots thanks to six birdies and home in 36 for his super effort that has him lying just a shot off the lead in Nairobi.

David Dyrsdale cuts a swath through the Kenya Savannah field with a seven birdie haul in a round of 65.

Four players – including Justin Harding who won last week’s Kenya Open, and is now 28-under par for his last five rounds, share the lead with seven-under par 64’s and with Drysdale among six players sharing fifth place just a shot further back

Drysdale had missed the cut on the same course in last week’s Magical Kenya Open and with little magic for the Scot in managing just five birdies in 36 holes.

Four days on and ‘Double D’ needed just seven holes to match that birdie effort before moving to six-under with a birdie on nine before his progress was checked by a 12th hole double bogey after his tee shot unluckily clipped a tree.

The Eyemouth-attached Dyrsdale then picked-up just one further birdie at his 17th for his round of 65.

Drysdale said: “It’s a decent start. I played great on the back nine, and my front nine, to be out in 29.

“I then got unlucky at the third hole or my 12th, where my drive clipped a tree and bounced right, leaving me with no shot, really, and ended up making a double-bogey.

“That was a shame and, though I had a few chances coming in, the greens are much more grainy and slower on the front nine and I mis-read a few putts.”

Fellow Scot Liam Johnston, 28, grabbed five birdies, including three in succession, in a round of 66 and in what was his lowest round since a stunning career low of 61 at last September’s Portugal Masters.

The Dumfries golfer is among a big group sharing 13th spot on five-under par.

He said: “My game was really good today. I went out and played 18 holes practice on Monday and thought I’d get out on the course and try and free myself up a little bit.

“I decided to play two holes a bit more aggressive and I played great. I think I hit 17 greens and was four-under in regulation.

“It was a really good ball-striking day until the last, where I made bogey, which was a bit bittersweet, but, if someone had said I’d shoot five-under, I would have taken it.

“I get a little bit too hard on myself. Sometimes I play to avoid bad holes instead of trying to play good holes and I think I did the latter really well today.”

Calum Hill birdied three of his closing four holes in a four-under par 67 while Borders Craig Howie, who did not contest last week’s event, posted a 68.