Peter Hanson and Gary Orr are on course to set a new second round clubhouse lead at the SAS Masters after breezing to seven under par after nine holes.
Hanson held a share of the overnight lead on four under par coming into the second round, but immediately improved his score to six under with birdies at both the first and second holes.
A third birdie followed at the sixth before a run of three straight pars took him to the turn in 31, seven under overall.
He is joined by Scotland’s Orr, who started on the back nine with a score of three under after an opening 67.
He took a birdie on the tenth to get his campaign on track and then scooped a hat-trick of birdies from the 13th to put himself in the frame for a first title on The European Tour since 2000.
Nick Dougherty, who is in the hunt for a place in Europe’s Ryder Cup team, was in a tie for the lead after the first round and remains in contention after nine holes.
He birdied the third to go five under, but a bogey at the next pegged him back. A pair of birdies at the seventh and the ninth and has taken his score to six under, level with clubhouse leader Søren Kjeldsen, who shot a superb 65.
The Dane started the day at the tenth on one under and immediately gained a stroke before picking up another at the 13th. He shot his only bogey of the day at the 16th, but recovered with birdies at the 18th, third and eighth holes. Another birdie at his last put him a stroke ahead at the top, but the chasing pack looks strong.
Daniel Chopra, who also began his round on the back nine, shot a best-of-week score of 64 to go five under, placing him alongside Peter Baker (68) and Paul Broadhurst (68).
Chopra opened with two pars before a birdie at the 12th and an eagle at the 15th took him to two under overall. A bogey at the 18th slowed his momentum, but he recovered with birdies at the first, fifth, sixth and ninth holes.
Wales’ Jamie Donaldson is four under after a 68, alongside Graeme Storm, who shot 66.
A shot further back is Chris Wood.
The 20 year old from England, playing his first professional event after finishing fifth in The Open Championship last month, added a three under par 67 to his opening 70 to sit just two strokes off the lead.
He was the first player to tee off this morning at 7.30am and after a birdie on the 428 yard 11th, his second, he added three more in a row from the 13th.
He turned in 32, but his only deviation from par on the front nine was a bogey at the 481 yard seventh, where his hooked drive meant he had to play his second with one foot in water.
Pedro Linhart, who was also among the overnight leaders, Linhart fell away after carding a 74.
