Jonathan Thomson turned in 31 to open up a one-shot lead at the top of an in-form leaderboard at the KLM Open.
The Englishman started the day at The Dutch three shots behind China's Wu Ashun but made four birdies on the front nine to get to 13 under and leapfrog his playing partner, who turned in level par.
Three-time Major Championship winner Padraig Harrington and Japanese Hideto Tanihara were 11 under, with England's Richard McEvoy a further shot back, one clear of countryman Chris Wood, clubhouse leader Thomas Detry and Frenchman Benjamin Hebert.
In the last six weeks, Thomson lost a play-off at the Made in Denmark, Wu finished in the top ten at the Omega European Masters, Harrington finished second at the D+D REAL Czech Masters and McEvoy won the Porsche European Open
Wu's lead was cut to one on the second hole as the 33 year old found the water for a bogey and Thomson holed from 12 feet to pick up a shot.
Thomson then hit a lovely pitch out of the rough into the third and the lead was shared but not for long.
He did not hit the best tee-shot on the par three fourth but a stunning long putt made it three birdies in a row and he held the solo lead.
Thomson got up and down well from the front of the fifth to save his par and then made the most of the par five sixth, with Wu doing the same to keep the lead at one.
Playing partners Harrington and Tanihara were making a big charge through the field and both were seven under for the day with two holes to play.
Tanihara held the 36-hole lead at last week's Omega European Masters and he was right in contention with birdies on the third, fifth, sixth, tenth and 13th. He could not take advantage of the par five 15th but a brilliant long putt on the par three next put him within two of the lead.
Harrington dropped a shot on the eighth but had birdies on the second, third, fourth, sixth, seventh, 11th and 15th. The Irishman then hit a stunning tee-shot into the next and he was in a share of third.
McEvoy was playing in the group behind and a wonderful tee-shot to two feet at the par three 14th got him to ten under after further gains on the first, fourth, sixth, seventh, tenth and 12th, and a bogey on the ninth.
Detry birdied the fourth and then made five in a row from the sixth before holing from 15 feet on the 13th. A 20-footer on the 16th got him to nine under before he dropped a shot after a finding sand on the next but birdied the last.
Hebert and Wood were both two under for the day through ten holes, a shot clear of Australian Andrew Dodt, Italian Andrea Pavan and England's Andy Sullivan.
