Andrew Oldcorn is the last Scot to win the Staysure PGA Seniors Championship but he’s delighted just to be playing pain-free this week.
The 63-year-old is back playing after undergoing an operation on his hand and was delighted to start with successive rounds of 70.
The Edinburgh-based golfer, who won this competition in 2011 by nine shots, sits tied third on four under and five shots adrift of leader Peter Baker.
Oldcorn said: “I had surgery on my hand in January.
“I have actually been playing when I shouldn’t have been playing for months.
“I started back in May and I really should have waited another couple of months but I was too impatient.
“The surgeon has seen me twice and he is happy with the outcome but he did warn me there was still going to be a lot of discomfort for a few months.
“It is called a carpal boss – a whole lot of bone was growing over my finger joint into the nerve.
“So it was out with the chisel and I had that removed.
“I am probably going to finish playing next year.
“The operation basically gave me another two years.
“This is the first couple of days I have been able to swing without feeling anything.
“That gives you a bit of confidence with the rest of your game.”
Oldcorn believes the premium on accuracy at Trump International Links has bolstered his chances this week.
He said: “My putting has been really good.
“Sometimes you go to a golf course and you just see the lines on the greens.
“I seem to have been able to do that over the last couple of days.
“I am probably comfortably the shortest (off the tee) in this field with maybe about half a dozen other guys so I have to plot my way around this course.
“That suits my game. If I am on my game I can plot my way round here.”
Torphins’ Greig Hutcheon felt frustrated after following up his opening score of 73 with a 71 to sit level par at the halfway point.
He said: “It was a struggle.
“It was up and down. I do good stuff and then bad stuff.
“I actually holed a couple of good putts for par but then missed a three footer on the last for birdie.
“I just can’t seem to get going.
“I don’t know how many shots I dropped. It was just too scrappy.”
Paul Lawrie finished the day level par after a second round of 71, bouncing back from a triple bogey eight at the fourth, his 13th hole of the day, with birdies at the fifth and seventh.
Fellow Scots Euan McIntosh and Gary Orr also sit level par after two rounds.
Major winner Michael Campbell remains a follower of Highland League side Deveronvale
