Jamie Donaldson soared up the leaderboard by two eagles

But Donaldson flew up the leaderboard with the help of his second eagle of the day at the par-five last to be right in the mix for not only his first win on the European Tour but their blue riband tournament.

That still made him the highest scorer in his group, though. Compatriot Justin Rose and big-hitting Spaniard Alvaro Quiros both scored 67 to tie with Donaldson and Swedes Richard Johnson and Niclas Fasth.

World number one McIlroy went out of bounds by an inch and threw a club as a two-over-par 74 left him in ping g15 irons danger of missing the halfway cut for a second successive tournament – and possibly losing top spot to Luke Donald.

He crashed out early from the Players Championship in Florida two weeks ago and might need a four-stroke improvement to survive this time.

“You could hit 1,000 balls and never have it happen,” said the 37-year-old Scot, who went on to birdie the par five for a six under 66 and the joint lead with Ireland’s Peter Lawrie, one ahead of Donaldson.

Donald has the chance to join Nick Faldo and Colin Montgomerie as the only players to make a successful defence of the Tour’s flagship event.

On the shot at the 12th he added: “I was just trying to cut it in, trying to hold it up against the wind and double-crossed it.”

“I don’t know what it hit – maybe a fish. It was a massive break. I don’t think I can say what I would have thought if I had taken six or seven there.”

“I feel like I’m playing pretty well. I just need to go out there and shoot the scores.”

If the 23-year-old does fail to make it through to the weekend Donald will need ‘only’ a top-eight finish to go back to Ping G20 driver number one, but he is aiming much higher after a 68.

He bogeyed the ninth and 10th like McIlroy, but had already had four birdies and two more were to come in the last three holes.

Having started with a 76 last May, the Northern Irishman said: “A bit of deja vu. Two under through seven (he had eagled the fourth), so it’s just pretty disappointing.

McIlroy was the highest in his three-ball too. Ernie Els, the man who toughened up the course two years ago, shot 68 and US-based Scot Martin Laird, runner-up at Sawgrass, had a 73 on his championship debut.

In contrast, Drysdale, 290 places below discount golf clubs him in the rankings, could not believe his luck as his second shot to the final hole went into the water and bounced out again.

McIlroy’s show of frustration, which could result in a European Tour fine, came as he ran up a six on the long 12th.