But it knocked two strokes off the lowest round of Giner’s life – and, incredibly, followed a first round 75 which left him joint 109th of the 120-strong field.

“It’s like a dream – I’m still shaking,” he said.

“The second nine was really perfect and I don’t remember putting like that ever. It’s like being in a cloud.”

Only 170th on the Order of Merit this season and needing to win to regain a tour card, the Barcelona golfer moved up from four over par to seven under and into contention for the first prize of £114,727.

When Giner started his round birdie-bogey he was not expecting what followed, but three more birdies in four holes took him to the turn in 32 and then he raced home in just 28 with an eagle and seven birdies.

He needed to birdie the last two holes for 59 but left a 14-foot attempt just short of the hole at the 385-yard eighth, his 17th, before making a 12-footer on the last.

“After yesterday I was thinking only about trying to make the cut. As the putts started to drop I never thought about 59 – I was just shooting for birdies.”

The only other 60 this season was by Colin Montgomerie in Indonesia in March, also on preferred lies.