Tyrell Hatton put himself in the driving seat to reach the weekend following another impressive showing at the WGC - Dell Technologies Match Play at Austin Country Club.
The Englishman started slowly in his second round robin match against Jeunghun Wang but he rallied back to be one up after 12 holes as he looked to back up his opening day win over Charles Howell III in Group 10.
It was a strong start from the European Tour members as Sergio Garcia led three up against Kevin Chappell and fellow Spaniard Jon Rahm nudged one up over Shane Lowry in their Group 7 matches, while Branden Grace and Andy Sullivan took one up initiatives in their Group 15 encounters over William McGirt and Brandt Snedeker respectively.
Opening bogeys at the first two holes from Hatton put Wang two up and despite a blemish of his own at the third, the South Korean regained the two-hole advantage with a first birdie at the fourth.
A dropped shot for Wang at the sixth followed by bogeys at the seventh and eighth handed Hatton the lead for the first time before the World Number 14 extended the gap with his first birdie on the ninth before the 21 year old pulled a shot back with a gain on the 12th.
Fellow first day winner Rafa Cabrera Bello was struggling against Howell III as he trailed one down through 11 holes.
Garcia raced into a four up lead after four holes despite not hitting a birdie as some out of sorts iron play from Chappell played into the Spaniard's hands.
Bogeys from Garcia at the seventh and eighth reduced the gap to two up but the American gave a hole back with a blemish of his own at the ninth to put the World Number Ten in control of their Group 7 clash after ten holes.
In the other Group 7 tie, Rahm edged in front at the fourth when Lowry hit a wayward tee-shot but he levelled on the sixth after a bogey from the Spaniard before Rahm redeemed his one up lead at the seventh with a par before a half at the next.
Søren Kjeldsen, who secured an opening day victory over Rory McIlroy, was one down to Emiliano Grillo after five holes while the Northern Irishman had the day off after the withdrawal Gary Woodland for family reasons.
That meant a half would send the Dane through with him guaranteed at least a play-off.
Sullivan started his Group 15 encounter by trading bogeys with Snedeker on the first and second to remain all square before he stuck a bunker shot to within seven feet on the fifth to go one up.
Sullivan gifted the sixth by three-putting to level it back up but he regained the lead at the next following a bogey from the American to give himself a slight advantage through seven.
In the other Group 15 clash, McGirt traded birdie-bogey on the opening two holes to keep the scores level before Grace picked up his first birdie at the fifth to nudge ahead after seven holes.
