Overnight leaders Bradley Dredge and Peter Whiteford found themselves in a four-way tie at the BMW International Open in Munich.
Among the later starters in round two, the Welsh and Scottish duo were joined by Argentina's Ariel Canete and Spaniard Pablo Larrazabal on eight under par.
Canete birdied the second and fourth holes at Munchen Eichenried and would have been out in front on his own but for a bogey in between, while former Open de France champion Larrazabal picked up shots on the second and third.
Also making a move was World Number Eight Paul Casey, who recovered from duffing a chip at the long 11th by making a nine foot birdie putt and then holed from much further on the next to improve to six under and joint eighth place.
Ryder Cup Captain Colin Montgomerie bogeyed the tenth for the second day running, but a pitch to six feet enabled him to return to two under on the next.
Canete, who played only six European Tour events last year following shoulder surgery and was granted a medical extension to his membership, continued his bid for a second victory with further birdies at the eighth and ninth.
Out in 33 as a result, the 35 year old was ten under and two ahead of not only Dredge, Whiteford and Larrazabal, but also Austrian Markus Brier.
Casey had a third successive birdie on the 13th, but bogeyed the next and returned to six under.
Canete's lead came down to one when he bogeyed the tenth and he remained nine under with five to play.
Larrazabal joined him with a four on the 555 yard 11th and Dredge, Whiteford and Brier were one back.
Casey turned at six under and only two further back was Montgomerie thanks to three birdies in four holes from the 15th.
