Shubhankar Sharma birdied three of his last four holes to take a one-shot lead into the weekend at the 2022 Magical Kenya Open presented by Absa.
The Indian engaged in a nip-and-tuck battle with Japan's Masahiro Kawamura throughout day two at Muthaiga Golf Club but a birdie-birdie finish saw him get his nose in front at 10 under after a 67.
Kawamura carded a bogey-free 66 to sit at nine under alongside Scotland's Ewen Ferguson, with South African Thriston Lawrence then at seven under.
Sharma started the 2022 DP World Tour season by finishing second for his best Rolex Series result at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship.
He entered the week fifth in the DP World Tour Rankings in Partnership with Rolex but would move even higher should he claim a third win this week.
The 25-year-old claimed two wins in as many months as 2017 turned to 2018 and believes his experience playing at altitude in his first victory at the Joburg Open is helping him this week.
“I’m really happy, whenever you finish with two birdies you’re always happy," he said. "It was a good round for me today, it was quite a slow start for me starting on the back nine, not much was happening for me, but that eagle on the 18th really propelled me.
“The front nine was great, missed birdie opportunities on both the par fives but came back strong on eight and nine with birdies and I’m really pleased with the score.
“It does fly a long way, personally I’ve done well whenever I play at altitude, I’m good at controlling my irons, so I did not do too much trackman work this week - I might have hit about 50 balls on the trackman this week - and I just got my numbers.
“I’m very comfortable out there. It’s not easy to get your numbers dialled in but I’ve done a good job.
I’m very pleased with what I’ve done over the past few days
"My first win came in Joburg which was also at altitude so I have good memories from playing at places where the golf course is at a height and that is definitely helping. I’m very pleased with what I’ve done over the past few days.”
Kawamura made the first big move as birdies on the tenth, 12th and 14th moved him level with overnight leader Daniel Gavins but Sharma recovered from a bogey on the 14th with an eagle on the 18th and a birdie on the second saw him lead at eight under.
A bogey on the third dropped him back alongside Kawamura and there was a three-way tie as Ferguson birdied the tenth and first.
A Sharma birdie on the sixth was matched by Kawamura on the seventh and Sharma added another gain after an excellent approach to the eighth.
Kawamura then closed out his round with a ten-foot birdie on the ninth but Sharma hit back from similar range to edge himself in front.
Ferguson had dropped a shot on the second but he too picked up shots on the way home, birdieing the fourth, sixth and seventh in a 67.
Lawrence - the first winner of the DP World Tour era at November's Joburg Open - birdied the tenth and 12th and while he gave a shot back on the 14th, further gains followed on the third and fourth.
Another bogey came on the fifth but he birdied the sixth, seventh and ninth in a 66.
Local 18-year-old amateur Njoroge Kibugu carded a bogey-free 66 to sit at six under alongside South African Dean Burmester, Spaniard Angel Hidalgo, German Hurly Long and Swede Jesper Svensson.
Gavins was five shots off the lead alongside South African trio Hennie du Plessis, Jayden Schaper and Daniel van Tonder, Frenchman Matthieu Pavon and China's Wu Ashun.
