Matt Fitzpatrick will take a one-shot lead into the weekend at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship after birdieing four of his last five holes on day two at Kingsbarns.
Just five days after helping Europe regain the Ryder Cup in Italy, the Englishman was on top again as he followed a 67 on day one at Carnoustie with a 64 to get to 13 under in Scotland.
Spaniard Nacho Elvira and home favourite Grant Forrest were his nearest challengers, two shots clear of English duo Marcus Armitage and Matthew Southgate.
Playing together, Elvira and Forrest carded rounds of 66 and 67 respectively over the Old Course at St Andrews, while Armitage signed for a 68 at the Home of Golf, a score matched by Southgate at Kingsbarns.
Defending champion Ryan Fox, American Billy Horschel, Frenchman Matthieu Pavon and Finn Sami Välimäki were then at nine under.
After the exertions of last week at Marco Simone Golf & Country Club and over courses which he has previously said do not suit him, Fitzpatrick could have perhaps been forgiven for not being at his best this week.
But he carded nine birdies and a single bogey just a week after claiming his first Ryder Cup point in his third appearance to put himself in pole position for DP World Tour win number nine.
In the team event, Fitzpatrick was playing alongside mum Susan who, despite playing with a brace on her leg, contributed four birdies and an eagle to a score of 58 as the pair moved into second on 22 under, a shot behind Julien Guerrier and Stephane Connery.
"I felt like we really enjoyed it out there," said Fitzpatrick, who will now play the weekend at St Andrews. "We both like the golf course, Kingsbarns. Very relaxed atmosphere. Compared to Carnoustie, you can kind of coast a little bit more.
"Of the three, I do like Kingsbarns. I just think that's the most enjoyable with the views, the hole designs. I like that one most. That's the only one I felt any affinity to.
"I think I said it last year, I just want to make the cut with mum and do well for the team and you never know what can happen."
There was much jostling at the top of the individual leaderboard in the early stages of the day but it was playing partners Elvira and Forrest who were first to break out of the pack.
Forrest holed a 20-footer for eagle on the 14th but sandwiched it with bogeys on the 13th and 17th, while Elvira got up and down on the 14th and holed a six-footer on the 16th but made a bogey in between.
The duo then hit remarkable drives onto the green at the par-four 18th and Elvira holed from just five feet for eagle, with Forrest making a two-putt birdie from eight feet.
Elvira grabbed the lead as he put an approach to three feet at the second and holed a lengthy putt at the third but was soon joined by his playing partner who, after putting his second to five feet at the first, holed from 12 feet at the fourth and made a two-putt birdie on the par-five fifth.
It was Elvira in the lead again as he holed from 17 feet at the sixth but Forrest made a putt of similar length on the next before they both had company at 12 under in the form of Fitzpatrick.
The 2022 U.S. Open champion took advantage of the par-five 12th, hit a brilliant tee-shot into the par-three 15th and then played a stunning recovery at the par-five 16th after two ragged shots.
A gain on the first was then followed by a two-putt birdie on the third and Fitzpatrick followed an approach to 12 feet at the fifth with another two-putt birdie after driving the green at the par-four sixth to join the lead.
A poor tee-shot at the seventh brought a bogey but the 29-year-old holed an excellent right-to-lefter from 15 feet at the next before getting up and down on the par-five ninth to lead the way.
Armitage made five birdies and a single bogey in his round, while Southgate had six birdies and a bogey in 16 holes before some late drama.
He was just one off the lead but recorded a triple-bogey on the par-three eighth before holing a huge eagle putt on the ninth to bounce back up the leaderboard.
Pavon signed for a 66 at St Andrews, one shot less than Välimäki at the same venue, while Fox carded a 69 at Kingsbarns, where Horschel recorded a 70.
German Nick Bachem, Belgian Nicolas Colsaerts, Spaniard Alejandro del Rey, Dutchman Daan Huizing, American Peter Uihlein and England's Matt Wallace were at eight under.
