At two under he was up from joint 45th to joint seventh, albeit seven shots adrift of England’s Miles Tunnicliff, five clear of the entire field after his opening rounds of 67 and 68.

Oldcorn is a lowly 164th in this season’s Order of Merit and had missed his previous four cuts. But compatriot Scott Drummond won the PGA crown two weeks ago against all the odds after making early exits from seven of his previous eight tournaments.

When Oldcorn won the same title three years ago it earned him a five-year exemption into the Open, but that has been changed to three years under a new qualifying system and he still has to earn a place into the starting line-up at Royal Troon next month.

The 44-year-old was not happy about that, but with earnings of less than £18,000 so far this year his main concentration has been on getting his career back on track.

Tunnicliff’s nearest challengers overnight were Ulsterman Graeme McDowell and Australian Nick O’Hern on four under.

O’Hern is not best pleased with the Royal and Ancient Club either over their refusal to give him an additional chance to qualify for Troon.

After twisting his knee the 32-year-old from Perth pulled out of the international qualifying competition in Melbourne in January without hitting a ball, then asked if he could try again at Sunningdale on June 28.

But he was turned down and nor could he enter the final qualifying heat in Scotland the Sunday and Monday before the championship proper.

“Very strange and a bit bizarre – I could have produced medical certificates,” said O’Hern. “I’m not sure what their reasoning was, but I’ve just got to take it on the chin.”

The only ways in are either by being the leading non-exempt player in the European Open or Scottish Open or by being in the top two of the mini-Order of Merit currently in progress.