Belgian Qualifying School graduate Thomas Pieters continued his love affair with PGA Catalunya Resort to claim the halfway lead at the Open de España.
The 22 year old, who secured his place on The Race to Dubai when he took the 20th card at this venue in November, overcame three bogeys in his first four holes to record a second consecutive 69.
That gave Pieters a six under halfway total, one ahead of first round leader Eddie Pepperell and Dutchman Joost Luiten.
Pieters was two over par for the day after ten holes, but birdied five of the next seven to come home in 31 despite playing in the windier afternoon conditions.
Pieters, who has made just two halfway cuts this season but was eighth in Malaysia last month, said: "I stayed really patient, I just grinded it out because it was really windy the first ten or 11 holes. I just hung in there and made some late birdies which is nice. The wind died out on the last nine and I took advantage of that.
"I think I'm good enough and it had to show today. I didn't think that six under after two days would be leading but it's a tough course, the rough is really high and the greens are firm enough.
"I know I'm up (there), but there's a long way to go. It's the first time I'm in first position, I'm happy to be here and excited for tomorrow. This is new for me and I just have to deal with it tomorrow. I'll try to stay calm, stay really patient... it's fun.
"I just turned pro in June last year. I know it's been a quick rise but I'd like to take it steady, take one tournament at a time and see where it goes."
Luiten fired his approach to three feet to pick up another shot on the ninth - his final hole - to card a second round of 69 and join England's Pepperell on five under par.
Pepperell had carded an opening 68 to claim a one-shot lead overnight and was five shots clear of the field when, after starting on the back nine, he birdied the tenth and 11th and eagled the 12th.
However, he then ran up a double-bogey six on the 14th and bogeyed the 18th to be out in 35, with two birdies and two bogeys on the front nine meaning the 23 year old from Oxford had to settle for a 71.
"The game's been pretty good for two days and five under puts me in a really nice spot for the weekend," said Pepperell, who finished 76th on The Race to Dubai in his rookie season last year.
"I expect to be caught today but I'm not too worried, if I keep doing what I'm doing I hope to have a shot at it come Sunday afternoon.
"It was a great start and I hit some really nice shots early. I had three ten footers for birdie, birdie and eagle and I holed them all. But it was an up and down day for me. I hit some good shots in the early part of the round, but there were also some poor ones.
"Unfortunately, I made a double bogey where I played aggressively and it didn't come off. I didn't get the pace of the greens and had a couple of three putts when I bombed my first past the hole."
Francesco Molinari was two shots off the lead after six birdies and one bogey gave him a round of 67.
