Joakim Lagergren and Thomas Pieters both made fantastic par saves on the last at Himmerland Golf & Spa Resort to be well in contention heading into the weekend at the Made in Denmark.
In tough, windy conditions, the pair could not replicate their course record-equalling first rounds of 62 but Lagergren fired a 70 to position himself three shots behind midway leader Bradley Dredge, with Pieters a further shot back.
Lagergren faced a 15-foot putt on the last - the toughest hole on the course so far this week - to stay in second place on his own and the Swede showed nerves of steel to roll it in and put himself in Saturday's final group.
"That putt on the 18th was nice to stay under par for today," he said.
I am happy with the position and hopefully I can do as good on the weekend - Joakim Lagergren
"It was a different game today. There were not many regular shots out there today, a few punchy ones and then hit it up in the air when it's down wind.
"I am happy with the position and hopefully I can do as good on the weekend."
Pieters had been scrambling most of the day to keep himself level and faced his biggest challenge on the last with a plugged lie in the greenside bunker.
It proved no problem for the Belgian, though, as he played out to tap in range and signed for a battling 71.
"I had a really rough lie there on 18," he said. "I don't know how it plugged going in there at a soft pace but I'm very happy and it was a good bunker shot.
"I struggled a bit coming in but 71 wasn't a bad score. I made some really good up and downs for par. My scrambling skills were really good today but my ball-striking skills were really awful, a mixed bag.
"I was two over after three and if the wind kept blowing like that I was thinking, 'where am I going to make a birdie today?', but it eased down a little bit and made some scoreable holes.
"I'm in a good position."
My scrambling skills were really good today but my ball-striking skills were really awful, a mixed bag - Thomas Pieters
Richard Sterne fired a 67 to also get to nine under as he looked to add to his five top 15 finishes in his last ten events.
The South African did not play after March last year due to a back problem but is a six-time winner on the European Tour and carded four birdies and an eagle to get himself right into contention.
"I guess I've got a chance going into the weekend," he said.
"The back nine was tough. There are some tough holes and you have to hit some good shots at the right time.
"I've been playing pretty well, the last few tournaments I have had some good finishes and some good tournaments, so my form is there."
