Aaron Rai produced a course-record 61 at Hong Kong Golf Club to open up a commanding four-shot lead at the halfway stage of the Honma Hong Kong Open presented by Amundi.
The scoring conditions were perfect for the early starters on Friday morning and Rai took full advantage, notching six birdies in his first nine holes - including four in a row from the 12th - before finding three more on the back nine to break the course record by two strokes and move to 14 under par.
That impressive total left the Englishman four shots clear of closest challenger Hyowon Park following the South Korean's bogey-free 62.
Later starter Matthew Fitzpatrick was on his own in third place, two shots further back on eight under, after making five birdies in his last eight holes on his way to a spotless 62 of his own.
Micah Lauren Shin was at seven under, with Ryder Cup star Tommy Fleetwood, Spain's Alvaro Quiros, Brazilian Adilson da Silva and Australians Jake Higginbottom, Jason Scrivener and Scott Hend another shot behind.
Masters Tournament winner Patrick Reed produced six birdies in his final seven holes on Friday to get to level par and guarantee his involvement at the weekend.
Rai, who is still searching for his maiden European Tour win, started the day in a three-way tie at the top of the leaderboard alongside Scrivener and Yusaku Miyazato on five under par after opening up with a bogey-free 65 on Thursday.
But early starter Rai, who began his second round at the 11th tee, was soon alone at the summit after reeling off birdies at the 12th, 13th, 14th and 15th to jump to nine under.
The 23 year old picked up further shots at the 18th and first to reach the turn in 30.
And the birdies kept on coming as he rolled in from five feet at the fourth and holed his 25-foot effort on the sixth before watching his 15-foot putt at the seventh pull up just short.
The three-time Challenge Tour winner created another chance at the eighth but his 12-foot birdie attempt hit the hole before rolling away.
Rai then got up and down from a greenside bunker at the difficult ninth to save par before holing his monster birdie putt at the tenth - his last - to sign for a bogey-free 61.
After his brilliant second round Rai, who had led by as many as seven shots when he walked off the course at around 11.30am local time, said: "Again, we were lucky today with the conditions.
"We didn't have much wind and, starting out pretty early the first nine holes, it feels like you're playing a round at home, which is nice.
"But I played very well, kept it in play, had a lot of chances and made a lot of putts, too. Everything was on song today.
"I've just got to try and stay as close to the original game plan as much as possible. I think if you get too conservative and if you try and defend the lead a little bit too much, you can start going backwards very easily but also you can't get too aggressive around this course.
"As hard as it is and as easy as it is to say, you just have to try and stick to what you're doing and what has got you into this position."
Park made a strong start on Friday morning, firing birdies at the first, second and fourth to reach the turn in 31.
Further gains followed at the tenth, 12th, 13th, 16th and 18th as he propelled himself into contention.
Park said: "I'm very happy now.
"My long game is very nice, driver and second shot is good and putting is nice.
"I will do the same thing on the weekend, so I can go more up the leaderboard."
