Patrick Reed lived up to his top-billing with a second-round 66 to set the clubhouse target on day two of the Porsche European Open.
The Masters Tournament champion is the highest-ranked player in the field this week but began the day four shots behind overnight leader and fellow American Bryson DeChambeau at Green Eagle Golf Courses.
With DeChambeau among the later starters on Friday, Reed made his move with seven birdies and a single bogey to get to eight under.
That left him a shot ahead of Frenchman Alexander Levy - who finished his 68 with four birdies - and Welshman Bradley Dredge.
Local favourite Philipp Mejow was then at six under after a 69 alongside DeChambeau and Frenchman Romain Wattel - who were both in the early stages of their rounds.
Reed currently sits second in the Race to Dubai Rankings presented by Rolex and he started his round with five pars before making gains on the 15th, 16th and 17th to turn in 35.
Another gain on the first had him in a share of the lead and when he got a fortunate bounce on the fourth and capitalised from 15 feet, he led alone.
The 27 year old missed a short putt for a first bogey of the day on the sixth but an excellent approach into the next had him at seven under where he was joined by the fast-finishing Levy.
The 2016 champion had started with a bogey on the tenth but birdied the 14th and another gain on the sixth kicked off a wonderful run of scoring.
A big drive allowed him to set up a tap-in birdie on the seventh, he was inches from making a hole-in-one on the par three eighth, and a ten-footer on the ninth had him in a share of top spot.
Reed then holed a 30-foot putt on the same hole to edge himself back ahead.
Dredge birdied the fifth and despite giving the shot back on the eighth, a gain on the ninth and a ten-footer on the 11th had him in a share of the lead.
A double-bogey after finding water on the 13th sent him tumbling back but the two-time European Tour winner hit back in style, birdieing the next, holing a long putt from the fringe on the 16th and closing with another gain.
Mejow birdied the second and fifth - as he had on day one - and after dropping a shot on the tenth added further gains on the 16th and last.
Oliver Fisher had led after turning in 32 but a triple-bogey on the 11th saw him fall back before he made three birdies in his closing five holes to sit at five under alongside Charl Schwartzel.
The 2011 Masters champion sandwiched a pair of bogeys with birdies on the 11th and 14th and picked up further shots on the 18th, seventh and ninth.
Chile's Felipe Aguilar, Spaniard Scott Fernandez and Scot Connor Syme were in the clubhouse at four under.
