But at 7.30pm last night it became clear that his two closing birdies had squeezed him into the closing 36 holes of the European Tour’s flagship event with nothing to spare.

And on resuming this morning Montgomerie, whose second round 76 matched his worst-ever score in the tournament, birdied the fourth and fifth holes to improve to level par.

That was still eight adrift of leaders Justin Rose and Angel Cabrera, but with conditions expected to become tougher later in the day there was no knowing what the leading score would be going into the last round.

Playing partner Jeev Milkha Singh, winner of the Volvo Masters at Valderrama last October and of two events in Japan shortly afterwards, was on the same mark thanks to birdies at the first and fourth.

And Welshman Stephen Dodd made the same move from the cut line, going to the turn in a one under 34 and then starting the back nine with a birdie two.

Rose and Cabrera led by a stroke from Wentworth’s own Ross Fisher and Australian Marcus Fraser.