First it was Scotland's Paul Lawrie, then Australia's Wade Ormsby began entertaining thoughts of becoming the first golfer to shoot 59 on the European Tour.
Ormsby and Lawrie went within two shots of golf's magical number in posting nine-under-par 61s in ideal conditions to start the KLM Open at Zandvoort, Netherlands.
While there have been 18 rounds of 60 recorded on the European Tour, Ormsby's 61 is the lowest by an Australian.
The 35-year old South Australian, who has spent the past five weeks at home, made a strong start, carding back-to-back birdies at the third and fourth before making another gain at the sixth.
He then parred the next five holes before making birdies at six of the final seven to match Lawrie's earlier back nine of 28.
Ormsby was thrilled with his strong finish on a Kennemer course laid out next door to the former Dutch F1 Grand Prix circuit where Ormsby has often visited during past KLM Open weeks.
"It was nice to finish like that as I had a hot putter right to the end, which made things a bit easier," he said after his round of 25 putts.
"I was getting a bit frustrated as I was hitting it really close but not holing anything, but I kept on giving myself good chances on the right side and eventually they started rolling in.
"The wind only died down on the last three or four holes, so it was tough out there. I said to Rich (Green) that we’d got the wrong side of the draw, but I’m not complaining now.
"I was thinking there for a time I might break 59 and while I just pulled up short it is the lowest score I’ve had in any round, let alone tournament golf."
The score was Ormsby's lowest by two strokes after his 63 in the 2007 co-sanctioned New Zealand Open.
The Adelaide-born Ormsby is still seeking a maiden European Tour victory, but continues to draw upon last year's end-of-season superb fourth after leading going into the final round of the Turkish Airlines Open.
Lawrie was out before Ormsby and began his round at the 10th. The 1999 Open Championship winner carded an eagle and four birdies in his first nine holes before making further gains at the second, sixth and seventh.
The 46-year-old Scot needed to pick up two shots in his final two holes to break the 60 barrier, but that dream was shattered when he sent his tee shot on the eighth into a bunker, before recovering to save par from 3m before safely parring the ninth.
"Sixty-one. It sounds good, doesn’t it? I played very nicely and putted very well again," he said in a round that included 26 putts.
"My previous best was 63 in the third round of the Dunhill Links when I won. I was 10 under after 12 holes that day and shot nine under.
"A nine under round there on that day with the wind picking up in the afternoon, was a good knock. Any time you’re nine under, in fact, is a decent effort.
"I hit a lot of really good shots and it couldn’t have been much lower than that. I’m usually moaning that I could have been three or four less, but that was pretty much all I could have got.
"The 59 did cross my mind. I had a long putt on the seventh – my 16th – for eagle after a lovely three wood in there, and had that popped in there I would have only had to birdie one of the last two to make it. It was at the back of my mind, but I’m very happy with 61."
England's Richard Bland is third after a 62, while Queenslander Scott Hend shot a five-under-par 65.