Matteo Manassero claimed the halfway lead at the Amgen Irish Open after a brilliant second-round 66.
The 31-year-old Italian completed a remarkable return to the upper echelons of the game by winning the Jonsson Workwear Open in March – almost 11 years after becoming the youngest winner of the BMW PGA Championship aged 20 having been the first player to capture three DP World Tour titles as a teenager.
His five-under-par round was bettered only by Shubhankar Sharma (65) on Friday and saw Manassero surpass morning starters Todd Clements and Laurie Canter with his six-under halfway total.
English pair Canter and Clements share second on five under, with four-time Major winner Rory McIlroy, Spain's Alejandro Del Rey and Scotland's Ewen Ferguson a shot further back in a tie for fourth.
With Canter and Clements setting a testing clubhouse target at Royal County Down, Manassero made a perfect start as he eagled the first after a brilliant second shot from 226 yards to seven feet.
Further birdies at the second and third, from 15 and 32 feet respectively, saw him catch the clubhouse leaders before dropping a shot at the next after finding rough from the tee.
A birdie from 18 feet put Manassero back in a share of the lead and he soon went clear with a second eagle of the day, tapping in on the par-five 12th after a majestic approach from 216 yards.
An errant tee shot on the 13th saw Manassero's lead halved, but he parred his way in to remain the man to catch this weekend.
“I played really well,” said Manassero. “I’m so happy with how I handled myself in difficult conditions this afternoon.
“There’s not much you can do, you have to hit good shots and the way the course is you need to start it on the right place with the right shape, the right trajectory, otherwise it’s just not good enough.
“Links golf makes you hit really difficult shots, everything has to be right. It takes a lot of energy out of you, but when you’re playing well the adrenaline kicks in and I’m looking forward to tomorrow.”
Overnight leader Clements mixed two birdies and two bogeys in his level-par 71, while Canter enjoyed a birdie-birdie start and made gains at two of his last three holes in posting a 68.
The highlight of local favourite McIlroy’s round was an eight-iron to 15 feet to set up an eagle on the par-five first, his 10th hole of the day, but the World Number Three covered his remaining eight holes in one over.
“I would have liked to have taken advantage of the easier conditions this morning,” McIlroy admitted.
“Those first nine holes, you’re not going to see RCD playing any easier. Then when the sun went it got a little colder and the wind started to come out of a different direction.
“It was just a matter of making sure I was here for the weekend and give myself a chance. Sort of job done for the first two days and turn my attention to the weekend.”
Del Rey matched McIlroy’s eagle on the first and looked set to post a testing target when he reached eight under, but ran up a quadruple-bogey eight on the 15th, while Ferguson had four birdies and two bogeys in his 69.
