Former Ryder Cup hero Paul McGinley continued his excellent form to take a share of the clubhouse lead during the second round of the BMW International Open.
The 45 year old Irishman kept alive his hopes of ending a seven-year title drought in windy Cologne by join England's Chris Wood in the early clubhouse lead on nine under par after both added rounds of 70 to their opening 65s.
They were then joined by overnight joint-leader Fabrizio Zanotti as the Paraguayan added a 71 to his opening 64.
"It was much tougher - a real good test of golf," said former Ryder Cup hero McGinley, who has finished sixth in Wales and seventh in Korea in the last six weeks.
"You had to work the ball and it's very important to keep it on the fairways."
He had an eagle on his card for the second day running, making a 20 foot putt at the long third before finding the target as well with a 20 foot birdie attempt three holes later.
Wood is still chasing his first European Tour victory four years after finishing fifth in The Open Championship as an amateur and then coming third a year later at Turnberry.
Zanotti and Australian Marcus Fraser were the overnight leaders on eight under. Fraser was among the later starters, but Zanotti's 71 made it a three-way tie at the top.
Another English player, Matthew Nixon, shot 66 to reach seven under, while there were 67s from Sergio Garcia, 54 year old Bernhard Langer and England’s Andrew Marshall, who won himself a BMW car with a hole-in-one at the 215 yard 17th.
He and Garcia both stood six under at halfway, while Langer, playing the one German event on The European Tour that he has never won, was one further behind.
