Rafa Cabrera Bello will take a three-shot lead into the weekend at the UBS Hong Kong Open after another impressive performance in the Far East.
The Spaniard opened with a 64 on Thursday at Hong Kong Golf Club to take a one-shot lead and he matched the lowest round of the day again on Friday with a 65 to get to 11 under and lead the way from Australian Sam Brazel.
Masters Tournament champion Danny Willett joined Brazel in firing a 66 to then sit at six under alongside fellow Englishman Tommy Fleetwood, American Paul Peterson and South African Justin Walters.
Cabrera Bello's progress into the weekend continues a remarkable run that has seen him not miss a single cut in 2016 while also making his Ryder Cup debut and finishing eighth on the Race to Dubai Rankings presented by Rolex.
The only thing missing from his stellar campaign is a win and the 32 year old is confident he will soon lift a trophy, something he has not done on the European Tour since the Dubai Desert Classic in 2012.
"I know I will win again," he said. "I've won before. I just need to keep giving myself chances.
"I have been working on some mistakes that maybe I have done on other occasions. I don't think I'm doing anything wrong not to get the win, so it will happen. Hopefully it will happen in two days' time."
Brazel flew out of the blocks from the 11th, birdieing the 12th and making an eagle on the 13th but Cabrera Bello made birdies on the second and third to keep his nose in front.
I know I will win again. I've won before. I just need to keep giving myself chances - Rafa Cabrera Bello
A bogey on the fifth from the leader saw Brazel share top spot but Cabrera Bello made back-to-back birdies on the eighth and ninth to turn in 31 and open up a two-shot lead.
Brazel put his tee-shot on the fifth to tap-in range to cut the gap and when he followed it with another birdie on the sixth, there was a tie at the top again.
Cabrera Bello was not in the mood to be caught, however, and a tap-in birdie on the par five 13th was followed by a stunning approach to the 15th, and with Brazel dropping a shot on the ninth after finding the sand, the lead was three.
"I managed to play well again," said Cabrera Bello. "I played solid and put myself in very few risky positions. I felt in control again and just managed to keep up the good work like yesterday.
"I felt I paid my dues here other years as well, from not knowing the course and not playing it smart enough.
"I think this year, I'm playing it well and I'm playing it confidently but I'm playing it very smart too. So that's helping."
Willett opened his second round with a bogey on the 11th but a hat-trick of birdies followed from the 12th and when he rolled in a six-footer on the 17th, he was within striking distance of the lead.
He hit the summit courtesy of an approach to four feet on the second and while he dropped a shot on the fourth, a closing birdie on the tenth got him back to six under.
D+D REAL Czech Masters champion Peterson had five birdies and three bogeys in his 68, as did Fleetwood, while Walters made just two bogeys in his 67.
Malaysia's Danny Chia, Taiwan's Chien-yao Hung, Thai Thongchai Jaidee and Englishman Steve Lewton were then at five under.