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Riffa - Spain's Miguel Angel Jimenez angrily broke his putter in two, picked up his wedge instead and carded three late birdies to grab a share of the second round lead at the Volvo Tournament of Champions on Friday.
Jimenez shot a seven-under par 65 at the Royal Golf Club to lead at 11-under par 133 alongside Sweden's Peter Hanson, Italian Edoardo Molinari and Raphael Jacquelin of France.
Ryder Cup star Hanson shot a 67 and could have become the sole leader if not for a dropped shot on his 17th hole, while Molinari made a bright start to the day, making six birdies in his first six holes despite playing in the early-morning rain and wind.
Northern Ireland's Darren Clarke was in a group of four players - South African James Kingston, England's Paul Casey and Scotland's Stephen Gallacher being the others - tied for the fifth place at 10-under par 134.
After missing several birdie chances from inside five feet, and an eagle attempt on the ninth hole from 20 feet, Jimenez's patience finally ran out with his putter when he botched up a three-footer for a birdie on the 13th hole.
The charismatic Spaniard slammed his putter, which hit the golf bag and broke in two.
He then used his lob wedge to make the putts, and even though he made a bogey on the 14th hole, the putts suddenly started to drop from the 15th onwards.
He made birdies on the next three holes, a run which included a 15-footer on the 16th.
"I was just trying to do the boomerang with the putter. I threw it away, I missed so many short putts today that I got desperate at that moment and just threw the putter and I caught the edge and broke it," said Jimenez.
"It was not the intention to break it, because as you know, it's supposed to be easy to putt with the putter and not with the lob wedge.
"But after putting so well with the lob wedge, I don't know if tomorrow I'm going to play with the putter."
Jimenez was ribbed for the incident throughout the journey back to the clubhouse by playing partners Clarke and Colin Montgomerie.
Clarke, who credited his good form to putting tips last week from Jose Maria Olazabal, the new European Ryder Cup skipper, and a new driver, said: "If you're playing as well as Miguel was and missing a few putts, you're going to lose your temper. His throwing was definitely more accurate than his putting.
"I think he made a very good shoulder turn while throwing the putter. Both Monty and myself, we gave him 6.0 marks for the technique. There's something to learn from him - I am going to make the same shoulder turn when I have to throw a putter next."
Scoreboard:
133 - Edoardo Molinari (ITA) 68-65, Raphael Jacquelin (FRA) 68-65, Peter Hanson (SWE) 66-67, Miguel Angel Jimenez (ESP) 68-65
134 - Stephen Gallacher (SCO) 70-64, James Kingston (RSA) 67-67, Paul Casey (ENG) 67-67, Darren Clarke (NIR) 69-65
135 - Francesco Molinari (ITA) 66-69, Johan Edfors (SWE) 64-71
136 - Anders Hansen (DEN) 68-68, Graeme Storm (ENG) 66-70, Sergio Garcia (ESP) 67-69, Ricardo Gonzalez (ARG) 71-65, Robert Karlsson (SWE) 69-67, Alvaro Quiros (ESP) 67-69, Steve Webster (ENG) 68-68
137 - David Dixon (ENG) 71-66, Bradley Dredge (WAL) 70-67, Jose Manuel Lara (ESP) 70-67, Brett Rumford (AUS) 68-69, Rafael Cabrera-Bello (ESP) 69-68, Paul Broadhurst (ENG) 69-68, Noh Seung-Yul (KOR) 69-68, Richard Green (AUS) 67-70, Matteo Manassero (ITA) 67-70, Alexander Noren (SWE) 67-70, Pablo Larrazabal (ESP) 66-71, Maarten Lafeber (NED) 68-67
138 - Andrew Dodt (AUS) 69-69, Christian Nilsson (SWE) 68-70
139 - Thomas Aiken (RSA) 70-69, Fredrik Andersson-Hed (SWE) 72-67, Alejandro Canijares (ESP) 68-71, Padraig Harrington (IRL) 70-69, David Horsey (ENG) 69-70, Peter Hedblom (SWE) 70-69, David Horsey (ENG) 69-70, Mikko Ilonen (FIN) 70-69, Thongchai Jaidee (THA) 69-70, Scott Strange (AUS) 68-71, Anthony Wall (ENG) 69-70, Mark Foster (ENG) 69-80
140 - Mark Brown (NZL) 71-69, Oskar Hanningsson (SWE) 72-68, Jeev Milkha Singh (IND) 67-71, Richie Ramsay (SCO) 72-68, Richard Sterne (RSA) 73-67
