McGinley in contention at KLM Open

Paul McGinley has the chance tomorrow to end nearly six years without a win - right on the eve of being a non-playing captain again for Britain and Ireland in the Vivendi Seve Trophy.

A spectacular back nine of 28, seven under par, with five birdies and then an eagle lifted the 44-year-old Dubliner right into the mix at the KLM Open in the Netherlands.

McGinley also finished with further birdies at the seventh and eighth – after a double bogey on the previous hole – for a 64 and eight-under-par aggregate.

He was a stroke behind Gary Orr, but the Scot still had three to play as the tournament made up for time lost on Thursday, first to vandalism on four greens and then to flooding on the Hilversum course.

“What a round,” said McGinley, who started the round in 32nd place. “I didn’t play brilliantly, but I putted brilliantly. I was saying that if I had more days like that I would have had some career.”

He has not had a bad one as it is, being part of three victorious Ryder Cup sides and three winning Seve Trophy teams – two as a player and then as captain two years ago.

McGinley admitted it had given him “a buzz” to be put in charge once more for next week’s clash against Continental Europe in Paris – another indication he could well be Europe’s Ryder Cup skipper at Gleneagles in 2014.

Without a top-10 finish for almost two years, McGinley has slumped to 568th in the world, yet Orr is 674th and it was a surprise to see both of them doing so well in a tournament featuring three of the sport’s top four – Lee Westwood, Martin Kaymer and Rory McIlroy.

Defending champion Kaymer missed the cut by three, while McIlroy was joint eighth on six under with three holes to go and Westwood down in 31st spot on only two under after 16.

England’s Simon Dyson, who like Westwood will be part of McGinley’s side at St Nom la Breteche, led after the first and second rounds and with three holes remaining was alongside compatriot David Lynn, McGinley, France’s Alexandre Kaleka, South African James Kingston and Swede Niclas Fasth.

Dyson is a twice winner of the title, but they both came at Kennemer, while Lynn’s only success in 350 European Tour events came at Hilversum in 2004.