Richard Bland turned in 31 to take a share of the lead on day two of the WGC-HSBC Champions.
The Englishman was making his World Golf Championships debut in his 396th European Tour event at Sheshan International Golf Club as he seeks an elusive first win.
The 43 year old is in a fine run of form with four top tens in his last six appearances and after an opening 68 in Shanghai, he made five birdies from the tenth on Friday to join Rikard Karlberg at nine under.
The Swede opened with a brilliant 64 in his first WGC round on day one and added a birdie on the 13th in his opening seven holes in round two.
Japan's Hideki Matsuyama was then at eight under, a shot clear of Italy's Francesco Molinari and American Bill Haas.
Bland made birdies on the 11th, 13th and 14th and then holed a 15-footer on the 16th to close within one of Karlberg. An eight-footer on the 18th gave him a 12th birdie of the week and moved him to the summit.
Matsuyama's opening round contained just four pars and he made a bogey on the first before recording three birdies to sit one off the lead through seven holes.
Molinari turned in 34 with four birdies and two bogeys, the highlight being a 25-foot putt on the ninth, while Haas had two birdies in his first four holes.
Defending champion Russell Knox was then at six under having played just one hole of his second round and he sat alongside Americans Daniel Berger and Rickie Fowler.
Lee Westwood had two birdies in his first six holes to sit at five under alongside South Africa's Dean Burmester.
