Matthias Schwab turned in 33 on the Old Course at St Andrews to get to six under and take the solo lead early in round two of the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.
After a day of very tough scoring across all three venues on Thursday, calmer winds made things slightly easier for the players on day two and Schwab was one of a host to take early advantage.
The Austrian and Marcus Fraser had been the only players to break par at the Championship Course Carnoustie and Schwab continued his excellent play, making three birdies on the front nine at the Home of Golf.
Australian Fraser had a single gain in his first three holes to sit a shot off the lead alongside Dane Lucas Bjerregaard and Swede Marcus Kinhult.
Qualifying School Graduate Schwab is playing his rookie season on the European Tour and is enjoying a productive campaign, sitting 96th on the Race to Dubai Rankings presented by Rolex.
He made gains on the first, seventh and ninth to hit the front, while joint overnight leader Fraser birdied the 12th in his first three holes.
Bjerregaard was playing at Kingsbarns Golf Links and he turned in 33, making gains on the tenth, 12th and 16th.
Kinhult had completed six holes at Carnoustie with birdies on the 11th, 12th and 14th.
Two-time defending champion Tyrrell Hatton, joint overnight leader Matt Wallace, South African Oliver Bekker and Greek Peter Karmis were then at four under,
Karmis had shared the lead at five under when he made birdies at the first, third, fourth and sixth at Kingsbarns but he bogeyed his next two before regaining a shot on the ninth.
Bekker also turned in 33 at Kingsbarns with birdies on the third, seventh and ninth, while Wallace had a bogey and a birdie in his first three on the back nine.
Hatton was playing Carnoustie and he birdied the first and sixth in his first six holes.
Spaniard Pablo Larrazábal was six under through eight holes to sit at three under alongside Irish pair Padraig Harrington and Paul McGinley, local favourite Stephen Gallacher, England's Ashley Chesters, Swede Peter Hanson and Australian Lucas Herbert.
