But Faldo is planning a busy schedule to give himself the best chance of making the European team at Oakland Hills.

That schedule began in Cologne and with a first prize of €500,000 translating into 500,000 qualifying points - more than half the amount with which Phillip Price secured the last qualifying place for the Belfry - Faldo was looking to get off to a flying start.

First of all he had to make the cut, however, and that was by no means certain after a first round of 72 left him well down the field.

The six-time major winner was quickly into red figures on Friday, birdies at the 12th and 13th, where he came up just short of the green in two on the par five, taking him to two under par for the tournament.

But a bogey on the next dropped him back to one under and a share of 69th place, with only the top 70 and ties at the end of the day qualifying for the weekend.

Fredrik Jacobson still led on 12 under par after his opening round of 60.

Jacobson, who was among the later starters, led by three from KJ Choi and Carlos Rodiles, who had picked up two shots in six holes of his second round.