Marcus Fraser was gone.
He’d three-putted the sixth – his second such blemish in three holes – and fallen to two over with the wind really starting to pump.
He knew the cut looked like being even par and gave himself a “fair old spray” walking off the green for being in that inglorious position.
Two-and-a-half gruelling hours later, the Corowa product had not only survived, but thrived with a spectacular bogey-free closing-nine 34 to finish two under and book his ticket into the weekend.
“I couldn’t be prouder, actually,” the normally self-effacing Fraser said.
“I played great as soon as we got into the turning loop (from holes 7-12), I felt like I hit shot after shot when I needed to and that doesn’t often happen.
“And in those brutal conditions – I had an 8-iron from 100m on one hole compared to the 145m I hit normally – it was a reasonable effort.
“To hold on and keep a good attitude then birdie the last to make sure I got to the weekend was pretty cool, actually.”
Even the last hole was played on the edge.
“ I hit a great drive and chip shot, but then a smelly little 6-7 foot downhiller left to right. It was always going to be dead weight and it went in.”
After driving his opening tee shot on Thursday into the Swilcan Burn, it has been a rollercoaster for the European Tour ace.
But there was a genuine twinkle in his eye when he looked ahead to 36 holes of a major championship weekend he thought had passed him by.
“I felt like I played great the first two days apart from an ordinary start yesterday.
“My putter was cold for first 27, then it warmed up when the irons did and I finally started making the ones I should have been.
“It was a British Open on Friday afternoon and I was trying to make the cut from nowhere and made it.
“I’m really happy.”
Fraser felt he was too far back to contend, but revelled in the “free hit” he’d been offered.
“If I play like I have the last couple of days and keep the putter warmed up, I’m probably too far back at the moment to win, but to move up the board is very realistic, I reckon.”