Robert Rock leads the field at the Johnnie Walker Classic at Gleneagles after a flying start to his second round.
Rock had moved to six under par after eight holes to move ahead of overnight leader Gregory Havret, who was amongst the late starters.
Starting at the tenth, Rock birdied his opening hole and then repeated the trick at the par four 14th.
He dropped a shot at 15 for the second day running but an eagle at the next saw him move clear of the chasing pack.
Justin Rose was amongst those battling for the lead in the early stages, and Colin Montgomerie was bursting through the field as well in a last-ditch attempt to earn a ninth Ryder Cup cap through a wild card from captain Nick Faldo.
Rose can also book his place in Faldo’s side with a good performance here, and a first win of the year is the way the 28-year-old really wants to clinch his first appearance against the Americans.
Four birdies in his first eight holes left him only one behind overnight pacesetter Gregory Havret.
Rose did then run up a bogey six on the long 18th, his ninth, after he could move his ball only a few feet in the thick rough, but another birdie two holes later took him back to four under par.
But a bogey at the third saw Rose drop back to two shots behind Havret.
By that point late starter Havret had been caught first by England's Rock and then by Welshman Bradley Dredge.
Montgomerie, meanwhile, resumed in a tie for 37th place, but with six holes of his day's work to go he was up into a tie for fifth on three under.
After a birdie on the 13th he pitched to three feet for another at the par five 16th and then chipped to six feet for a third two holes later.
Then he had to wait only until the 399 yard third to make further progress up the leaderboard.
