Rory McIlroy and Martin Kaymer took over at the top with some brilliant golf on the second morning of the Omega Dubai Desert Classic.
World Number Two McIlroy had four birdies in his first nine holes to move from three behind overnight leader Rafael Cabrera-Bello to one in front.
He was almost certainly aware, though, that World Number Four Kaymer was also going well in the following group.
The German, who in Abu Dhabi last year left McIlroy eight strokes behind him in second place, had three birdies in seven holes to join Cabrera-Bello on nine under par.
For the second day running McIlroy might easily have closed the back nine with an eagle, but once again he missed from inside ten feet and had to settle for a four.
Cabrera-Bello was among the later starters and, given the perfect conditions again, probably expected to have ground to make up by the time he teed off again.
France's Romain Wattel had improved from six under to eight under with six to play, while Scot Richie Ramsay played his first ten holes in four under to join compatriot Scott Jamieson and German Marcel Siem in fifth place on seven under.
This year's Abu Dhabi winner Robert Rock had work to do just to survive the halfway cut following an opening 73 on his return to action, but playing with 2009 champion McIlroy he also went to the turn in a four under 33 and had improved from 92nd to joint 23rd.
Four other former winners of the title - Colin Montgomerie, Mark O'Meara, Miguel Angel Jiménez and holder Alvaro Quiros - were alongside him, as was World Number Three Lee Westwood. He had yet to tee off again, however.
McIlroy missed a five foot chance on the first and was caught on ten under when Kaymer holed from even closer at the second.
The long third saw an action replay of the 18th, though, with McIlroy two-putting for birdie and the 2010 US PGA Champion unable to match it.
McIlroy's lead then went to two when Kaymer three-putted the next to slip alongside not only Cabrera-Bello, but also South African George Coetzee, who had three successive birdies around the turn and was six under for the day.
McIlroy was three clear after a glorious birdie on the 485 yard sixth - he was only five feet away in two - but Kaymer trumped that when he holed-in-one at the 186 yard next.
Raising his arms in triumph, the 27 year old was 11 under and only one behind once more.
The overall scoring was spectacular and Scotland's Stephen Gallacher, who aced the 15th in his opening 69, was six under for his second round with two to play and joint third with Coetzee and Cabrera-Bello.
