Raphaël Jacquelin finished with consecutive birdies to snatch the halfway lead at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.
The Frenchman, a four-time European Tour winner, carded a second round 70 at Kingsbarns to lie nine under par in the pro-am event also played over Carnoustie and The Old Course at St Andrews.
That was one ahead of Irish pair Padraig Harrington and Shane Lowry and England’s overnight leader Oliver Wilson.
Wind and rain made scoring more difficult on Friday but Jacquelin birdied his final two holes to move into pole position for a fifth European Tour title.
“I’m pretty happy, especially the way I finished,” said Jacquelin, whose last title came at last year’s Open de España after a record-equalling nine-hole sudden-death play-off.
“I birdied 17 and 18, so it was good before having dinner and going to rest.
“I didn't play that well, and not as well as yesterday, but it was not that easy, a bit of wind, a bit of rain, a bit of cold as well.
“I feel good - it's a long weekend, a lot of golf to play, so the game of golf it's not that easy.”
Lowry added a round of 70 at St Andrews to his opening 66, while Wilson was level par for the day at Kingsbarns and three-time Major winner Harrington matched Jacquelin’s effort, with Levy’s 68 the pick of the top five’s efforts.
Lowry, who finished joint third in this event 12 months ago, was the only player in the top 12 to play at St Andrews on Friday, meaning he will face Carnoustie on Saturday before the final round is again played over The Old Course.
"To be honest, the way I played to shoot two under was quite good," said Lowry after a round containing four bogeys and six birdies. "The forecast was pretty bad today and everyone was expecting the worst, but it wasn't actually that bad.
"It played quite easy toward the end and I could have picked up a couple more, but I'm happy with the position I'm in with two rounds to go. Hopefully I can go out to Carnoustie tomorrow and hopefully the weather is not too bad over there and I can shoot a decent score."
Harrington won the first of his back-to-back Open titles at Carnoustie in 2007 but has not won a tournament on The European Tour since the 2008 US PGA Championship.
The 43 year old was a vice-captain at last week's Ryder Cup and although he admits he has a lot more to learn before bidding to Captain the side, he has set himself an ambitious target.
"I think the big one for me, I've got to get inside the top 15 in the world to make the Olympics in 2016," said Harrington, who is currently ranked 324th. "I've got 22 months to go. I'm starting at absolute zero probably at the moment.
"I really feel good about my game, so I believe I can do it."
Scottish duo Richie Ramsay and Chris Doak are two shots off the pace on seven under, with compatriot Stephen Gallacher another shot back and Gallacher's Ryder Cup team-mate Rory McIlroy five off the lead on four under.
McIlroy, who is keen to make the cut in the team event so his amateur partner, his father Gerry, can play at St Andrews on his 55th birthday this Sunday, started the day nine shots off the pace and dropped back to two over par with a bogey on the 14th.
However, the World Number One responded in style with a superb fairway-wood approach to the par five 16th and rolled in the eagle putt from 15 feet on his way to a round of 67 at Kingsbarns.
"I think the eagle on 16 kick-started something for me," the 25 year old said. "I just went from there, started to knock a few putts in. I felt like I struck the ball pretty well for the first couple of days, but just to see a few putts roll in sort of gave me a little bit of confidence and played well after that.
"It would mean an awful lot to win at St Andrews. But if I didn't, I wouldn't mind waiting until July next year."
That is when the Northern Irishman will defend his Open title.
