But Watson, whose opening 65 made him the oldest-ever leader of the event, was still right in the thick of things at four under with two holes of his second round to play.

In a championship that was really one for the ages it left him joint second with 48-year-old Eduardo Romero, 46-year-old Nick Price, Justin Leonard, Jay Don Blake and Canadian Ian Leggatt.

There was real emotion involved in Watson’s 30th appearance at an event he first played in 1972 and won at Pebble Beach in 1983. His caddie Bruce Edwards has a fatal disease for which there is currently no cure.

The pair have worked together for most of Watson’s career and it was easy to understand the tears that accompanied his magical first-day effort.

Edwards’ amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease, speeds up the ageing process and Watson has passionately called for money to enable research that might come up with a cure.

“It affects 30,000 people and that doesn’t make it a big enough disease for the drug companies to spend millions of dollars to try to find a cure, as they are for AIDS, cancer, heart disease and things like that,” he said.

“You find most of the funding coming from the patients and their families. There are some very strong indications that a drug will cure ALS – we just have to find it. We need the money.

“That’s the message I want to say. I have the podium to be able to give you that message and it’s really important to me to give it. Two hundred and fifty thousand people will get it in the next 20 years.”

Because of the seriousness of the situation, Watson said he did not mind if he shot 90 on his return to the course. But he had no intention of doing so, of course.

He and Edwards were cheered onto every tee and green and just to be in contention far exceeded Watson’s hopes entering the week.

After a bogey at the fifth Watson birdied the eighth to turn in 36. But then came a double-bogey six at the 458-yard 12th, the hole where he sank his six-iron for an eagle two yesterday.

This time he hit a bad drive and then, on the green in three, three-putted to fall three behind Furyk.

But it was not the start of a sad collapse. He birdied two holes later.

Furyk, two over par after nine holes yesterday, resumed on three under and pitched to 18 inches on the first to strengthen his bid for a first Major. He also birdied the long sixth en route to an outward 34.

Further birdies came on the 13th and 14th to take him clear and he should really have finished with some more, missing chances at the 16th and 18th.

“I’m happy with my position,” he said not surprisingly.

“I played a really solid round – probably my best so far in the Open.

“It would have been nice to make a couple more and the opportunity was there, but I just want to continue with how I’m playing.”