R2 leaderboard -14 S Khan (Eng) -12 P Casey (Eng) -9 C Montgomerie (Sco), Pe Lawrie (Ire) -8 S Jeppesen (Swe, J Kingston (SA)

The 31-year-old blasted seven birdies and an eagle in his first nine holes as he eyed the first ever sub-60 round on the European Tour.

But he only made two birdies coming home as England's Paul Casey (63) went second, two adrift on 12 under.

Scot Colin Montgomerie was in third after a second-round 68.

"I felt pretty relaxed all day," said Khan, who has never won on Tour and has made two visits to the qualifying school.

"As the round went on I couldn't help but think of 59. After 11 holes I definitely felt there was a chance.

I was an angry person, I was all over the place Paul Casey on recent "off-course distractions"

"When I chipped in for eagle on the fifth all of a sudden I was six under par for five holes but I thought to myself, 'don't just stick here.'

"I thought to myself, 'you are only level par and let's try to push on from here'.

"I've never done anything like this before, although I did once shoot 29 for nine holes in a pro-am in Essex."

Khan broke the previous course record of 63 set by Australian Jarrod Moseley in 2003.

Five other players have carded 27 for nine holes, while South Africa's Ernie Els and Northern Ireland's Darren Clarke are among a list of 11 players who have scored 60 in a European Tour event.

Casey fired an impressive 63

Casey revealed he had been inspired by watching Khan's score being posted on leaderboards around the course.

He said: "It takes your mind off what you are shooting and his 61 was very, very impressive.

"The fact that he didn't birdie the last doesn't matter, very few people will have a chance for a 59 coming up the last.

"We were making wagers among our group about how low he would go. I must say the caddies weren't very supportive but the players were backing him and we were actually disappointed to see his total of 14 under go up on the board.

"A 59 is going to happen sooner or later - although this does not strike me as a course to do it on - and will be good for the Tour."

Distracted

The 26-year-old Casey admitted he had been struggling for focus because of "off-course distractions" over the last month.

"I haven't been that focused for the last four weeks or so but the last two days have been very good," said Casey, who was sixth on his US Masters debut in April.

"The mind has been distracted. I certainly wasn't focused at Wentworth last week.

"I was an angry person, I was all over the place, which is not how I usually am and it affects my golf.

"I got frustrated with the bad bounces and it was all down to what was happening off the course but the good side is that I recognised the problem.

"Today was more like the Masters. It's a trend that doesn't guarantee good golf but the more relaxed I am the better it is for me."