Indian Jeev Milkha Singh remained two ahead after three holes of his second round at the Irish Open presented by Discover Ireland in Killarney, but it was far from plain sailing.
Having equalled his lowest-ever round on The European Tour with an eight under par opening 63, Singh hit his opening drive into the hazard on the edge of Lough Leane.
But a bogey there was followed by an eight foot birdie putt at the next and he then saved par at the short third after pulling his tee shot wide of the green.
Open Champion Darren Clarke had six strokes to make up when he resumed, but that was down to four after sinking putts of five and 15 feet on the first and third.
A bogey on the 418 yard next, however, sent the Northern Irishman back to three under.
Last year's runner-up Padraig Harrington was in grave danger of missing the halfway cut when a first-round 73 left him in a tie for 114th spot in the 150-strong field.
The three-time Major winner raised his hopes with an opening 15 foot birdie putt, then salvaged an unlikely par on the next.
Unable to make a proper swing from under a tree, he advanced his ball only a few yards and was still in deep rough, but the Dubliner managed to run his third shot onto the green and it curled round to finish only five feet from the flag.
Nearest challenger to Singh was France's Alexandre Kaleka and he had yet to tee off again, while Rory McIlroy (one under) and Graeme McDowell (one over) were afternoon starters.
Singh had his second bogey of the day at the fourth and was one ahead of not only Kaleka, but also Italian Lorenzo Gagli, who birdied the fourth, seventh and ninth.
Clarke had his second two of the round on the 211 yard sixth, but it followed another bogey and by failing to birdie the long seventh he remained four behind.
