Adam Scott, amazingly almost the forgotten hero of Australian golf, reminded the golf world he's not a spent force at a weather-lashed US PGA Championship today.
With the majority of the afternoon groups not yet to the turn in their second round, it's hard to line up the field at Bellerive Country Club in St Louis.
But that's of zero concern to Scott, who carded a superb five-under-par 65 to climb to five under overall and a share of ninth.
Of the other Aussies in the final men's major of the year, Marc Leishman will also be safe into the third round despite a 71 that left him at one under.
US-based Aussie Craig Hocknull is one over to sit +3 through 12 holes, while Cameron Smith is square through seven and four over, both chasing a projected even-par cut line.
Jason Day has three birdies and two bogeys through eight holes of his second round and is well placed to climb from his four under total when the second round resumes on day three.
They're all chasing big-hitting Gary Woodland, who carded a 66 to reach 10 under and maintain his lead, although Kevin Kisner (64) closed to within a stroke, while Brooks Koepka and Charl Schwartzel each fired joint US PGA record rounds of 63 to reach eight and seven under, respectively.
But the pleasant surprise of the day was Scott, who has battled to just just one top-10 finish in 14 months, a tie for ninth at the Byron Nelson Championship, leaving his playoff berth in peril at 119th in the FedEx Cup standings and only 125 to qualify.
The Queenslander is one of only 13 players who have qualified for the playoffs every year since the FedEx Cup's inception in 2007.
"The difference between the level I think I’ve played at and the top level is very fine and really after a little while it’s just that little bit of confidence that you lack," Scott said after his six-birdie round was blemished only by a closing bogey on the ninth.
"And it is very, very hard for anyone to give you that other than yourself.
"That self-belief has to come out and I feel like the last six to eight weeks has been a real positive for me. My results look a lot worse than what it has felt. I have played some good golf but inconsistently."
Scott told PGATour.com that his warm-up before an opening 70 was the best he’s had all season. Having recently re-hired his brother in law Brad Malone as swing coach after a two-year hiatus, the benefits are beginning to show.
"It felt like the young Adam Scott swinging the golf club. With a bit of ease, a bit of grace, bit of flow and rhythm," he said.
"That was enough to make me play a little more freely. There were good signs that carried over to today, and hopefully tomorrow it gets better and better."