Azinger, who felt lucky to have caught Jesper Parnevik on an off day in the first round, probably could not believe his fortune again when Love three-putted the first from only eight feet, then missed a five-footer to lose the second as well.

Two holes later 42-year-old Azinger, who will play his first Ryder Cup since 1993 at The Belfry in September, pitched to five feet and then on the next he holed a 30-footer from off the green.

Not that he needed the putt. Love had driven into water, hit his third into a bunker and from a plugged lie did not even make the green with his fourth shot.

At least Love had his first success on the next, pitching to five feet himself, but over the 18-hole sprint, three down with 12 to play against a fellow former USPGA champion represented a mountain to climb.

Following the exits of top three seeds Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and David Duval on the opening day - to Australian Peter O’Malley and Americans John Cook and Kevin Sutherland respectively - the tournament sponsors must have been praying most of the remaining leading lights survived to at least the last 16.

However, ninth seed Vijay Singh trailed Swede Niclas Fasth by one after four, seventh seed Retief Goosen was one down after two to Jose Maria Olazabal and fifth seed Ernie Els was all square with Tom Lehman after four.

Olazabal took the lead with an eagle at the 526-yard third, while Fasth had birdies at the first and fourth to thank for his position.

Lone British survivor Lee Westwood and Ireland’s last remaining hope Paul McGinley were out later in the day, Westwood against Cook and McGinley against Sutherland.