Matthieu Pavon reduced Matt Wallace's lead to a single shot after producing a second-round 69 at the weather-affected Open de Portugal at Morgado Golf Resort.
The Frenchman was one under par after nine holes when the first round was suspended due to thunder and lightning on Thursday afternoon, and when play resumed at 8.30am on Friday, he made four birdies on the back nine to post a bogey-free 68.
The 24 year old was soon back out on course for his second round and, starting at the tenth tee at 11.30am, he picked up shots at the tenth, 12th, 14th and 16th to get to nine under par.
Another birdie at the par-four second saw Pavon join first-round leader Wallace at the top of the leaderboard on ten under, but he dropped his first shot of the tournament at the next.
I played very solid to finish round one this morning, which gave me confidence going into round two straight afterwards - Matthieu Pavon
After carding another bogey at the fifth, Pavon picked up a shot at the long seventh to get back to nine under before safely parring the final two holes to set the clubhouse target.
England's Wallace, who fired ten birdies in a flawless 63 on Thursday, will begin his second round at 16.55 on Friday.
After his second round, Pavon said: "I had a bit of momentum this afternoon. I played very solid to finish round one this morning, which gave me confidence going into round two straight afterwards and I managed to make a few birdies straight away.
"My game has been a little up and down over the two days but my short game has been pretty good, so that has helped a lot."
Pavon sits in a share of second place alongside Spain's Pedro Oriol, who carded four birdies in the first 12 holes of his second round, and Germany's Sebastian Heisele, who will get his second round under way at 17.15.
Laurie Canter was among the group another shot back in a tie for fifth after he followed up his first-round 70 with a 68 on Friday.
Canter was two over par after nine holes when play was halted on Thursday but he reeled off five straight birdies from the 11th on Friday morning to get to three under.
The Englishman began his second round at the tenth tee shortly after finishing his first, and mixed three birdies with two bogeys to reach the turn in 36.
He picked up a shot at the first for the second day in a row before carding a bogey at the second.
Canter then made gains at the fourth, sixth, seventh and ninth to get to eight under.
Home favourite José-Filipe Lima was also two shots behind Wallace after 15 holes of his second round.
