It lifted the 37-year-old father-of-three to three under par and only one behind halfway leader Soren Kjeldsen as just eight of the 156 players broke the par of 144.

After suffering a serious wrist injury playing out of rough in Dubai in 2000 Broadhurst was just preparing to return when his other wrist became a problem.

He eventually needed surgery and after playing only six events all year he plunged to 157th on the Order of Merit the following season and then failed to come through the qualifying school.

“That was the lowest point,” he said. “I wasn’t sure what I was going to do.

“I put a brave face on it, but I had no idea. I thought I would have just played the Challenge Tour to try and get my card back, but with a family to look after one year is all I could afford because you’re not going to make any money out there.”

As a past Ryder Cup player – he won both his games at Kiawah Island in 1991 - and former Benson & Hedges and French Open champion enough invitations came for Broadhurst to play 23 events on the main circuit last year.

But although he earned over £80,000 he was back at the school last November and his future was on the line again.

Come the sixth and last round of the marathon ordeal the midlander needed a one under 70 to survive – and shot 66.

“My best-ever round because of what it means to me,” he said.

After four birdies in his last seven holes today he now has a chance to win £200,000 and an even more precious two-year Tour exemption.

Kjeldsen, who matched Broadhurst’s 68, is perhaps the least-known member of the European tour’s Millionaires Club, but that could change if he continues as he started.

The 28-year-old Dane – only 5ft 7in and 10 and a half stones – went through the £1million barrier in tour earnings by finishing seventh in last month’s Volvo PGA championship and then 11th in the British Masters two weeks ago.

He has yet to win, but was second in the 1999 Qatar Masters and currently stands 22nd on the Order of Merit with £236,000.

After turning in 32 and then chipping to three feet on the long second – his 11th – Kjeldsen drove into the rough at the next and missed a three-footer for par. It was his only lapse of the round.

“Generally everything has been good with my game this year and the more good tournaments you play the more confident you get,” he said.

Gane obviously fared worse at the 18th, but the hole also put serious dents in the title hopes of others.

Sandy Lyle, who has not won for 11 years, and defending champion Adam Scott both lost balls and took sevens there, Lyle to drop from two under to level par and the young Australian – winner by 10 at 26 under last August – from one over to three over.

Lee Westwood had to take a penalty drop, also had a seven to be four over and Volvo PGA champion Ignacio Garrido ran up a nine. He was already out at 11 over.

Colin Montgomerie, playing with Westwood and Garrido, had a par five that must have felt like an eagle and at one over – the same as 49-year-old Sam Torrance - he is still well placed to mount a bid.

Ian Poulter, first and second on his last two starts, could not recover from his opening 83 and others to miss the cut were Ryder Cup heroes Paul McGinley and Phillip Price.

Joint third are Australian Brad Kennedy and Dutchman Rolf Muntz at two under, one in front of Welshman Stephen Dodd, Spaniard Ivo Giner and Scots Alastair Forsyth and Gary Orr, who has fought back superbly after taking nine at the second hole in his first round.

Gleneagles Leaderboard

4 under - Soren Kjeldsen (Den)

3 under – Paul Broadhurst

2 under – Rolf Muntz (Ned)

Brad Kennedy (Aus)

1 under – Stephen Dodd

Gary Orr

Alastair Forsyth

Ivo Giner (Spa)

Level – Miguel Angel Martin (Spa)

Neil Cheetham

Sandy Lyle

Others:

1 over – Sam Torrance

Colin Montgomerie

3 over – Paul Casey

4 over – Paul Lawrie

Lee Westwood

Missed cut:

12 over – Paul McGinley

13 over – Phillip Price

15 over – Ian Poulter