By adding a 67 he was up to nine under and alongside Price, who birdied the last five holes for a 65.

While Els waited to resume on eight under par Rose, who as a youngster travelled from his Hampshire home to watch the event, turned in 32 and then added further birdies at the 12th, 16th and 17th to reach 11 under.

It was a good morning as well for Colin Montgomerie. In danger of missing the halfway cut for the second successive week when he managed only a two over 37 for the front nine, the 40-year-old Scot had a hat-trick of birdies from the 11th and then another on the long 17th.

Four under after a second successive 70, Montgomerie still had hopes of achieving the fifth-place finish which might prove good enough to earn him a place in the United States Open next month.

A fourth victory in the £2.5m (€3.7m) tournament was still a long way off, though, and that was what he had to achieve to be exempt from qualifying for July’s Open championship at his home course Royal Troon.

World number two Vijay Singh and Spaniard Miguel Angel Jimenez both forced their way into the lead, but then surprisingly fell back.

Singh, closing in fast on Tiger Woods at the top of the rankings, was eight under after an outward 33, but although another birdie came on the short 14th so did bogeys at the 10th, long 12th, 15th and 16th.

Jimenez was also back to five under after double-bogeying the 13th, bogeying two of the next three and then failing to birdie either of the two closing par fives.

Ryder Cup hopeful Ian Poulter was on eight under, but they were all fully aware that Els was only just setting off again. A repeat of his opening 64 would make him an odds-on favourite instead of just the favourite.