Golden oldie Robert Arnott would love to follow in the footsteps of some of Scotland's greatest golfers by bagging the Scottish PGA Championship at Gleneagles this week.

The Bishopbriggs veteran continued to mine the rich vein of form he has found on the Tartan Tour as he fired a four-under 67 for a six-under 136 total to share top spot with Greg McBain at the halfway stage of the domestic circuit's flagship event.

The Scottish PGA Championship's roll of honour includes the likes of Bernard Gallacher, Sam Torrance, Brian Barnes, Sandy Lyle and Paul Lawrie. Arnott came third behind Lawrie in 2005 but is on course to better that and win the famous old trophy.

The 50-year-old won the P&H Championship at Dundonald last week to get his season off to a flying start and is soaring high again in Gleneagles.

Former PGA Cup player Arnott said: "Getting a win like I did last week in my 50s has giving me a huge lift in confidence and I would love to win this. It's the national championship and there are some great names on it."

Motherwell's Paul O'Hara shrugged off the effects of an illness to keep himself in the title race with a second successive 69, which left him just two shots behind the frontrunners on 138 heading into today's closing 36-holes.

O'Hara, the former Scottish amateur No 1, said: "I had to come home from work early on Saturday feeling ill and spent the whole of Sunday in bed. I was struggling near the end. I'll need some strength for two rounds."

Caldwell's Chris Currie, runner-up in the 2011 Scottish PGA championship, kept his hopes of glory alive with a 69 to sit in a share of sixth on 139.

He said: "I lost out narrowly on the Scottish title in 2011 and it's still a bit of a sore one to be honest."

Glasgow's Chris Kelly, the former Scottish PGA champ who led after round one, slithered off the top with a 75 to finish five off the pace on 141.