Out on a Medinah Country Club course near Chicago he knows well, meanwhile, Chicago-based Donald was in a share of second place with Americans Davis Love and Billy Andrade after three birdies in his first five holes.

They were not carrying European hopes on their own either. Sergio Garcia, runner-up to Tiger Woods at the same venue in 1999, was in on five under despite a triple bogey seven on his card, as was Stenson’s fellow Swede Daniel Chopra.

And Ian Poulter, desperate to re-ignite his hopes of a second Ryder Cup cap, was only one further back following his back-to-back 70s, with Jose Maria Olazabal on the same mark after playing his first five in four under.

However, Colin Montgomerie, Paul Casey, Stephen Dodd and Paul Broadhurst were already certain of an early exit and Anthony Wall looked as if he might be joining them on one over.

As for Woods and Phil Mickelson they resumed their head-to-head duel after lunch and after four holes were still on three under.

Woods literally needed a helping hand in that, though.

His opening drive was heading deep into the trees when, on its first bounce, a man in the crowd stretched out his arm and brought the ball down.

The Open champion still could not make the green from the rough, though, and did well to salvage his par.

Stenson is close to securing a Ryder Cup debut for himself, but that has taken far longer than seemed likely when he made a flying start to the 12-month race for places.

The 30-year-old resumed on four under par and made a dream start.

First he hit a superb eight-iron recovery from a fairway bunker on the first to six feet, then his seven-iron tee shot to the 191-yard second finished just two feet from the hole.

Fourth in the battle for places in the European team with only two more events to come, he grabbed the outright lead when he added another birdie on the ninth and he then found the target from 12 and 15 feet at the 11th and 13th to move three clear.

The finish was a bit of a mixed bag – bogeys at the 15th and 18th, but a birdie at the dangerous 17th – but it was all good enough to boost his confidence with the K Club clash only five weeks away now.

Stenson was certainly enjoying himself more than he did on his debut in the event last year.

The big-hitter was playing his first-ever tournament in America then, but the week was marred by his girlfriend Emma Lofgren being robbed in a New York restaurant.

Stenson has not had a top 10 finish since April, but he is happy to think of it as a deliberate mini-slump so that he can now run into form for next month’s match.

“If you are in form early there’s a chance you can lose it,” he said. “I’ve not been playing great the last couple of months, but it feels like it’s moving in the right direction.”

His quest for a place in Ian Woosnam’s side began last September in a manner he would rather forget.

Frustration boiled over on the final day of the first qualifying event, the European Masters in September, when he speared a wedge into a green and had to repair the damage done.

Tour officials were soon told about the incident and fined committee man Stenson – £1,000 it is thought rather than the minimum £250 because of the seriousness.

“I lost it,” he admits. “I’m a calm guy, but when I lose my temper I really lose it. I snapped and I’m not proud of what happened that day. I behaved badly.”

Montgomerie’s 77-71 for four over was probably four strokes too many.

“I played better today, but yesterday was disappointing – I didn’t play very well at all,” he said on missing his third cut in the majors this season.

“It was bitty. My rhythm’s not quite there.”

Casey was only one shot better – his Ryder Cup place is not safe yet – but Garcia showed his class in coming back from a seven on the 438-yard 11th, his second.

“I missed the green, then chipped over it, then chipped into a bunker. It was huge mistake, but I came back nicely.”

Poulter commented: “After an early bogey I was rock steady. It’s like the US Open. You can’t be silly. You can’t go at real tight flags and you just can’t press.”

Howell said: “That was a real grind. The club felt alien in my hands. Hopefully that’s my bad day.”

With the cut likely to fall at level par Justin Rose finished one under in his first major for two years, while Chopra had a 67 to move onto five under.

He had come into the tournament as third reserve when Paul McGinley decided on Sunday to withdraw so he could attend the funeral of Darren Clarke’s wife Heather.