Rafael Cabrera Bello charged to the head of affairs when the Avantha Masters resumed at DLF Golf and Country Club.
The Spaniard was drawn amongst the afternoon starters for the first round, and after a three-and-a-half hour fog delay on Thursday morning his first task on day two was to complete his opening round.
Having signed for a five under 67, the 26 year old was one behind Dutchman Robert-Jan Derksen in a five-way tie for second.
But with Derksen among the late starters in the second round, former Austrian Golf Open winner Cabrera Bello - he shot a record-equalling 60 in the final round there to snatch the title from Benn Barham - was able to establish a two shot lead.
Starting at the tenth, he birdied his opening hole before holing a 30 footer at the next.
He recorded consecutive birdies again at the 15th and 16th to turn in a four under par 32 and reach nine under for the week.
His closest challenger was Denmark’s Mark F Haastrup - the man who claimed the 117th and last exempt card on last season’s Race to Dubai - with Scot Marc Warren and England’s Robert Coles level with Derksen, who had yet to tee off again.
Haastrup recorded a hattrick of birdies form the second to add to an outward 33 and lie six under through 14 holes, having enjoyed mixed fortunes in an opening 71.
Six birdies in eight holes from the third propelled veteran Coles to four under for his round after ten, while two-time European Tour winner Warren - playing on a sponsor’s invite after losing full playing privileges last year - was three under for the day through 14.
