Welshman David Park celebrated his 25th birthday by equalling the De Vere Slaley Hall course record of 65 and taking the lead at the halfway stage of the Compaq European Grand Prix.
Park, who lost a six-hole playoff in the Moroccan Open to Spain's Miguel Martin on Sunday, began in spectacular fashion, birdieing his first three holes and sinking a 30-footer for birdie at the last to extend his lead.
With the overnight leader David Carter starting in the afternoon, Park held a five-stroke lead at one stage but Carter, who defends his Murphy’s Irish Open title next week, closed the gap to two with a round of 69.
Like Carter the day before, Park spoiled his chance of breaking the course record with a bogey but eight birdies in all, with a mixture of stunning putting and good iron play, saw the Welshman scatter the field.
"I went to Morocco with little expectation," said Park. "So this is all a bit of a surprise. Until last week I was just happy with my form on the Challenge Tour so I've got to continue doing what I'm trying to do and that is to play my own game."
Park currently leads the European Challenge Tour rankings after a win and four top-tens but after an outstanding performance in his European Tour debut last week he now has the opportunity to earn his place in the top flight.
If he wins he will get a 30-month exemption anyway but a top seven finish will probably be enough to earn him his card for next year.
Carter picked up four birdies and dropped just the one shot in his round and two shots further back is Germany’s Sven Struver after a round of 67.
Meanwhile Park’s Walker Cup team-mate Justin Rose survived the cut for the first time in 22 attempts on the European Tour.
The 18-year-old professional, who leapt to prominence by finishing fourth as an amateur at last year's British Open, has spent the last 11 months trying to overcome the obstacle.
His frustration was finally ended when he got up and down from a bad lie to save par at his last hole for a closing 69 to ensure a weekend's golf. The young Briton had made his first cut as a professional two weeks before in the European Challenge Tour's Austrian Open in which he finished fourth.
"This time my game held up under pressure," he said. “I'll be keeping the ball that I got up and down with alongside the one from the Open. It's nice to see the smiles back on my family's faces.”
The cut fell on 144, level par, with 75 players surviving for the weekend.
