Tim Sluiter and Ross Fisher moved into a share of first place at the ISPS Handa Wales Open as overnight leader Lee Slattery prepared to begin his second round.
Dutchman Sluiter, who carded an impressive 68 yesterday to lie one off the pace, recovered from an opening bogey by birdieing the fourth and 11th holes at The Celtic Manor Resort.
Fisher also bogeyed his first hole, the par five 11th, but, after getting back to one under with a birdie at 15, the Englishman - a member of the 2010 Ryder Cup Team at this venue - then made up three shots in four holes from the 18th to join Slattery and Sluiter on four under.
Marcel Siem, another man yet to tee off today, was alone in fourth place on three under, one clear of fellow afternoon starters Gonzalo Fernandez-Castaño and Joel Sjöholm
On a day when scoring once again proved difficult for much of the field, Raphaël Jacquelin bucked the trend by carding seven birdies in a sensational 65, the lowest round of the week to date.
After starting on 11, the experienced Frenchman picked up four shots on his front nine to turn in 31.
Either side of a bogey on the fifth, Jacquelin made further gains on the fourth, sixth and eighth to surge into a share of seventh at one under.
Sweden’s Magnus A Carlsson also made significant strides today, improving on his opening 77 by ten shots to ensure he will be around for the weekend.
