England's Greg Owen and Daniel Summerhays joined overnight leader Will Claxton at the head of the Mayakoba Classic field in Mexico.
The 29 year old American Summerhays was four under par through his first seven holes today and, though he dropped a shot at the ninth, three more birdies after the turn carried him to the best round of the tournament so far – a sparkling 65.
The six under par card left him level on eight under with Claxton, who followed his bogey-free opening 66 with a 68 despite dropping his first shot of the tournament at the short 15th, and Owen.
The Mansfield-born pro, who turned 40 last Sunday, made eight straight pars from his starting point at the tenth and then birdied five of the remaining ten holes on his way to a second successive 67.
American Chris Stroud made a 66, marred only by a bogey at the first, to lie one shot off the lead on seven under, while Kevin Stadler follows a further shot back along with Swede Richard S Johnson and Australia's Robert Allenby.
John Huh is alone at five under and Korean Noh Seung-yul continued his eccentric route into the leading group, lying joint ninth on four under despite the second hole bringing him his second double-bogey of the week.
Ryder Cup Captain José María Olazábal signed for a second consecutive 72 to reach the weekend on two over.
Defending champion Johnson Wagner limped under the cut mark at one over par after a one under 70 but Rory Sabbatini, Greg Norman and his fellow former Open Champions Ben Curtis and Todd Hamilton were among those to miss out.
