Thomas Bjorn produced what he believed to be the best round of his career, in posting a course record-equalling round of 62 at Wentworth to lead by three shots at the conclusion of a weather-affected opening day of the BMW PGA Championship.
The 43-year-old Dane, who was previously a resident of the Surrey estate, has enjoyed a career a resurgence in the past year, and came into this week leading the Race to Dubai rankings. This, despite missing the cut last week at the Open de Espana.
However, the 15-time winner on the European Tour would produce the most sparkling of performances to open the 60th playing of the circuit’s flagship tournament. Taking advantage of the placid conditions in the morning, Bjorn completed the front-nine in a blemish free 32 shots, with birdies coming at the second, fourth and seventh.
But it was on the back-nine where Bjorn would become a class apart. He would start in stunning fashion, with birdies on the tenth and 11th preceding an eagle on the par five 12th. Further birdies would come on the 14th and 16th, before he closed out with another on the 18th to complete one of the great rounds in the recent history of the European Tour.
"You shoot great rounds in your career but to shoot 62 on this course, you can't ask for more," said Bjorn whose 62 equalled that shot by Robert Karlsson in 2010.
"I don't really know where to start. Last week was awful and I was starting to feel a little frustrated with things and in practice this week I was not good either.
"To step out on this course of all courses and play like I did today was surprising. It was just one of those days where you walk off the course and think I want to keep playing."
He may have wanted to have continued playing, but a few minutes after he completed that round, play was abruptly brought to a halt due to a threat of lightning. A further delay would come later in the afternoon, setting the tournament back approximately by three hours. Consequently, a quarter of the field will return early on Friday morning to complete the remaining holes of their opening rounds.
However, none had a chance of catching the imperious Bjorn, who now looks firmly set to qualify for the Ryder Cup team this coming September.
But despite living at Wentworth for eight years, success at this iconic venue has not been commonplace for the Dane. A tie for fifth 15 years ago remains his best finish in the tournament, with a strong performance almost coming as a surprise for him: "It's not a place where I think it's going to be a great week but I have to stick my head down now and focus on the rest of the week.”
Shane Lowry also had a fantastic day, and is Bjorn’s closest challenger after an opening round of 64. This performance was even more impressive, considering that his progress was twice halted by weather delays.
It was also a round that came from left-field, considering that the 27-year-old Irishman finds himself at a lowly 161st on the money list. However, Wentworth has brought him success before, with a fourth-place finish in 2011 being his best effort.
"I love it around here," said Lowry. "It's a great event. It's a great golf course.”
There have been signs of recovery, with a tie for 15th in Spain last week being his best finish of the season.
"I've missed a few cuts and haven't really been putting that well but I managed to find something at home a couple of weeks ago and hopefully can keep it going.
"I went back to an old putter that I used years ago and it brought back good memories maybe."
Spaniard Rafael Cabrera-Bello would produce a stunning round of 65 later in the day, with unheralded Frenchman Gary Stal a shot further back after 66. Justin Walters, Fabrizio Zanotti and Anthony Wall all went round in 67, on a day that saw 16 players all shoot rounds in the 60s.
One of those players was Rory McIlroy, who shot just his fourth round in the 60s in 19 attempts on the West Course.
It’s been a tumultuous week for the two-time major champion, who ended his engagement to tennis star Caroline Wozniacki earlier in the week. However, he found solace on the golf course, with two eagles seeing him complete an opening round of 68.
“I haven’t put my phone on for two days and I have given my laptop away,” McIlroy revealed. “It is like I am living in the 1960s or 70s. At times it was difficult out there but when you are over a shot it is easier to keep your mind on things. I said yesterday that this would be a difficult week. It was also a very stop-start day.
“I don’t think you’d be a human being if it wasn’t tough, especially when it’s a little slow out there and we were walking in between shots. It is a tough week and I’m not really that comfortable standing here talking about it.”
Having missed the cut in his past two starts here, McIlroy would be content just to make the weekend, particularly given the circumstances: “Honestly, I’d just be delighted to make it to the weekend because I haven’t done that here for the last couple years. I feel like I am playing well enough to shoot low scores. I’ll try and go out there tomorrow and shoot another one to put me in the mix.”
And with Bjorn looking dominant at the summit, McIlroy will need another low one.