Louis Oosthuizen leads former champion Andrew Coltart by three shots after the second round of the Commercialbank Qatar Masters Presented by Dolphin Energy.
With 1998 Qatar champion Coltart on nine under par following a solid three under 69, Oosthuizen continued the form which saw the 26 year old narrowly miss out on a maiden European Tour title in Abu Dhabi last week with a sublime seven under 65.
After dropping just one bogey yesterday, Oosthuizen picked up a first shot at the 452 yard par four fifth before reaching the turn in a flourish with back to back birdies.
“It feels nice having a three shot lead after the second round. I played well and I'm very happy,” he said.
“I'm used to being very aggressive on the course, taking on every shot. I try and stick with it, knowing, too, I can make 20 footers for birdie, so just try to get myself into position on the green.
“Other than that, I had a very big temper on me about two or three years back, because I was frustrated that I'm not better than the way I played, and now I handle myself much better on the course and I try to enjoy myself much more and I'm definitely having fun.”
Earlier, joint overnight leader Coltart claimed the outright lead with a steady trip around Doha Golf Club in mild morning conditions.
"I'm pleased. There is always a question whether you can follow up a low round and I think I managed it," said the 38 year old Scot.
"I think if you go around that course and shoot under par you have done really well and off the back of the 66 I was really proud of it."
Coltart grabbed his first birdie with a ten foot putt at the eighth before another followed to start the back nine after two putting the par five.
A three putt a hole later accounted for his only bogey, but a chip in three at the 12th pushed him back to two under before a up and down at 16 brought the Scot home.
He added: "There were some scrappy moments, it is the type of game you cannot play the same one day to a next, but I got the job done with a couple of nice chips, a couple of nice pitches and a couple of nice putts and three under I'm happy with.
"It was by no means the perfect round of golf, but I am delighted to shoot under par."
Big hitting Portugal Masters champion Alvaro Quiros leapt up the leaderboard and into third place at eight under with a five under 67 which included seven birdies from the young Spaniard.
Quiros' round was helped by a hat-trick of birdies to finish, although he was fortunate his attempted lay-up at the last rebounded off a rock and only landed in semi-rough.
"I was playing well last week and didn't have any luck," said the 26 year old.
"Yesterday I played good again and I didn't have any luck either so today was the day.
"I'm working well and putting good, sometimes with luck and sometimes without and that is the difference between a good score and a bad score."
Quiros was joined by Australian Brett Rumford, while overnight joint leader Miguel Angel Jiménez was unable to build on his bogey free first round but was satisfied with a 71 which left him fifth and a shot clear of another overnight joint leader Henrik Stenson, Chapchai Nirat, Maarten Lafeber, Damien McGrane, Paul Broadhurst and Sportsbet Australian Masters champion Rod Pampling.
