Australia's Scott Hend shot a cool 67 to lead after the second round of the BMW International Open in Germany.
In windy conditions at Golf Club Gut Laerchenhof near Cologne Hend, 44, shot an eagle and four birdies to surge into the lead as others fell to the course's unforgiving rough.
Hend's six under par round started badly with a bogey at the 10th but was plain sailing from then as he made birdie on the 12th and eagle at the par five 15th.
He finished his round with consecutive birdies to go one shot clear of Chilean Nico Geyger and Sweden's Henric Sturehed.
Englishman Aaron Rai hit the shot of the day with a hole-in-one at the 167-yard 16th.
The pinseeker earned him a £125,000 BMW i8 Roadster and helped him take the lead at seven under before a mis-hit landed in the water at the sixth, leading to two dropped shots and a final score of 71 to leave him at four under par.
The favourite on home soil Martin Kaymer scored an impressive 68 to go level with Rai and last night's leader Sebastien Gros, Maximilian Kieffer and Australian Nick Cullen all at four under par.
US Open runner-up Tommy Fleetwood made the cut thanks to a six-foot birdie putt at the final hole while former Masters champion Sergio Garcia will also play through the weekend after an eagle at the 15th.