Argentina's Ricardo Gonzalez wasted no time in trying to pull clear of a crowded leaderboard when the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles resumed.
Gonzalez carded a seven under par 65 in the first round to share the lead with Austria's Bernd Wiesberger, but a total of 80 players broke par on the Centenary Course which will host next year's Ryder Cup.
The four-time European Tour winner was among the early starters on Friday and quickly moved into the outright second round lead with birdies on the second and third as he looked to boost his chances of a first victory since 2009.
At nine under par he led by two shots from Wiesberger - who was among the later starters - and England's Mark Foster, who both lost out in a five-man play-off in this event two years ago.
Foster, who bogeyed the 72nd hole on that occasion and then bowed out of the play-off on the fourth extra hole, had carded an opening 66 and picked up one birdie in his first seven holes.
Ryder Cup Captain Paul McGinley was just a shot behind Foster on six under par, the Irishman starting his round with three birdies and one bogey in his first four holes.
Gonzalez picked up another birdie at the seventh to improve to ten under, but was joined on that mark by Foster thanks to birdies at the first, second and third.
Australia's Brett Rumford, winner of back-to-back events in Korea and China earlier this season, was a shot behind after an eagle on the 16th and birdie on the first, but McGinley's challenge had stalled after a bogey on the 15th.
McGinley also failed to make a birdie on either the 16th or 18th, both reachable par fives, and at five under was now five off the lead, as was defending champion Paul Lawrie who had picked up three shots in his first nine holes.
Gonzalez had also dropped his first shot of the day on the 13th to leave Foster alone on ten under, the 38 year old looking to claim his second European Tour title ten years after his first.
