Australian Scott Hend shot the joint-lowest round of the week to take a one stroke lead at the BMW International Open in Germany.
Continuing windy conditions brought the punishing rough into play again at Golf Club Gut Laerchenhof near Cologne, but the 44-year-old avoided most of the trouble to shoot a 67 to go six-under par.
Hend bogeyed the 10th, his opening hole, to drop back to level par but it was his only blemish as a birdie on the 12th was followed by an eagle at the par five 15th before a birdie three at the 17th took him into a share the lead.
He closed his second round with back-to-back birdies to card a 67 that leaves him one shot clear of Chile's Nico Geyger and Henric Sturehed of Sweden.
I just played conservatively," Hend said. "Just trying to play on to the fairways and keep out of the long brown stuff."
English rookie Aaron Rai briefly assumed the outright lead at seven under, helped by a hole in one with a six iron at the 167-yard 16th which won him a BMW i8 Roadster courtesy of the tournament sponsors.
However, he mis-hit his approach to the sixth into the water guarding the front of the green and double-bogeyed, dropping another shot at the next but recovered to close with a 71 to be four under par.
"It was a tricky pin position and it was kind of downwind as well," said the 23-year-old, who graduated from the Challenge Tour after winning three events last season.
Two-time major winner and home favourite Martin Kaymer carded a 68 to move alongside Rai, overnight leader Sebastien Gros, Maximilian Kieffer and Australian Nick Cullen in a share of fourth, with Cullen's fellow Aussie Wade Ormsby 11th.
Former Masters champion Sergio Garcia hit a brilliant approach to two feet at the par-five 15th for eagle - and then birdied the 17th - to reach one under and ease any fears of missing the cut.
The line eventually fell at four over, meaning world No.10 and US Open runner-up Tommy Fleetwood made the weekend courtesy of a six-foot birdie putt at his final hole for back-to-back 74s.
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