Tiger Woods burst into contention with a second round 66 at the Omega Dubai Desert Classic, but it was South Africa’s Thomas Aiken who held a three shot clubhouse lead.
Two behind overnight, 27 year old Aiken recorded a second consecutive 67 to reach the halfway stage ten under par.
Aiken is still looking for a maiden European Tour title, but continued the excellent form that has brought him six top 14 finishes in seven events this season to complete 36 holes with only one dropped shot.
“I feel like I've been putting myself in position to win a golf tournament, and just haven't been getting it done on the weekend,” said Aiken.
“Just been really consistent and it shows in the results, and been really happy with the way that I've been playing. If I keep putting myself in these positions, it's inevitable that something will happen.”
Looking far more like the player who won 14 Major Championships than during his “scratchy” opening 71, former World Number One Woods was again partnering Lee Westwood and Martin Kaymer, the two men who have overtaken him on the rankings.
Woods even charged into a share of the lead at one point - and this after he had been down in 85th spot 12 holes into his opening round.
Given a huge boost in confidence by a closing eagle in his opening round, the American resumed six adrift of overnight leader Rory McIlroy, but took only 15 holes to wipe out that deficit as the Northern Irishman waited to tee off again.
Woods' run started on the 467 yard 12th, the hole he double-bogeyed on his previous visit, and further birdies came on the 13th and 18th - both par fives - to take him to the turn in 34.
After saving par from a bunker at the first he pitched to seven feet from the rough on the next, rolled in a 25 footer at the short fourth and then produced his shot of the day.
The par four sixth hole measures 485 yards, but the 2006 and 2008 champion cut the corner with a 314 yard drive and then hit a brilliant approach to two feet.
That was the moment he was briefly joint leader, but by finishing with three pars Woods reached halfway on 137, seven under, along with Denmark's Anders Hansen and Northern Ireland’s Michael Hoey.
McIlroy, though, was only just setting off and had the chance to open some daylight.
It is almost 15 months since Woods last tasted victory, and Westwood, who took over as World Number One last October, is in the hunt too, but a closing bogey left him on five under following a 70.
Kaymer, meanwhile, added a 71 to his opening 69 to be one further back.
Woods said: "I played myself right back into the tournament. I felt I hit the ball a lot better and the greens were absolutely perfect.
"It was steady. I didn't make as many mistakes as yesterday and I felt it was important to post a number."
Westwood, who missed the cut last week, is still searching for his sparkling best.
"I'm a bit disappointed with the way I've hit it the first two days," he commented. "You have chances out there - you've just got to be on your game."
McIlroy's hopes of regaining top spot suffered a setback when he bogeyed the second to go back to six under, but fellow Northern Irishman Hoey birdied five of the last six holes to join Woods and Hansen in second place.
Former British amateur champion Hoey, who won his first European Tour event in Portugal two years ago, had turned in a one over 36, but with a birdie at the short 11th he roared home in a six under 31.
McIlroy was back moving in the right direction with a two at the 186 yard seventh and when Sergio Garcia matched that the pair were part of a seven-way tie for second on seven under.
On the same mark were Woods, Hansen, Hoey - all finished - plus Australian Brett Rumford and England's Steve Webster.
The 21 year old Northern Irishman holed from 12 feet at the ninth, missed a chance on the long tenth when he three-putted for par, but then made a 15 footer two holes later to be only one behind Aiken.
Garcia had still to drop a stroke all week and his birdie at the tenth put him third on his own just two back.
