Matthew Southgate carded a 70 to set the clubhouse target on day two of the NBO Oman Open but a closing double-bogey opened the door to the afternoon starters at Al Mouj Golf.
The Englishman entered the second round in a share of the lead with countryman Paul Waring and the latter posted a 71 to get to eight under on another day of excellent conditions in Muscat.
Southgate held a three-shot lead as he stood on the 18th tee but a ragged tee-shot led to that double-bogey and his advantage was cut to one.
Frenchman Matthieu Pavon was then in the first group out in the second wave and he turned in 31 to join Southgate at the top of the leaderboard.
England's Andy Sullivan was three under after six holes to sit alongside Waring at eight under, with Australian Sam Brazel a further shot back having also played six holes.
Swede Marcus Kinhult and Dutchman Joost Luiten were then in the clubhouse at six under.
Waring began his round with six pars but a nice chip set up a birdie on the par five seventh and he followed it with another on the eighth to turn in 34.
Southgate birdied the par five fifth and seventh to join the lead and a bogey from Waring on the 13th meant he led on his own. A bogey on the eighth saw the lead was shared again but Southgate was enjoying the par fives, and he eagled the 12th to get into double figures and lead by two.
Waring parred his way home to set the target at eight under and Southgate birdied the 16th to lead by three before surrendering a double-bogey on the last after taking three off the tee.
Pavon made gains on the third, fifth, sixth, eighth and ninth, while Sullivan birdied the second and eagled the third.
Brazel bogeyed the 11th but then picked up four shots in as many holes with an eagle on the 12th and birdies on the 13th and 15th.
Luiten has always been a prolific maker of birdies and he was at it again as he posted a 66.
The 32 year old birdied four of his first five holes from the tenth and made another on the 16th but sandwiched it with bogeys as he turned in 33. Another gain was to follow on the second and after he hit a brave approach into the fourth and a tee-shot to 12 feet on the eighth, he was right in the mix.
Kinhult was a picture of consistency in a more sedate effort, making birdies on the first, 12th and 13th in a bogey-free 69.
Dutchman Daan Huizing, England's Chris Wood and Paraguayan Fabrizio Zanotti were all six under playing the front nine.
Darren Clarke's mini-resurgence continued as he posted a 66 to get to five under.
The 2016 Ryder Cup Captain enjoyed a good week last time out in Malaysia, firing his first sub-70 round on the European Tour since the 2015 Alfred Dunhill Links Championship and making his first cut since the 2016 Open Championship.
He picked up a birdie on the 15th but really came to life on the front nine, making gains on the third and fifth, hitting a stunning approach to the sixth, holing from 15 feet on the next and then making a monster putt on the ninth to stay bogey-free.
England's Andrew Johnston was alongside the Northern Irishman as he birdied the 12th and eagled the 16th but gave a shot back on the next. Another birdie came on the second and a wonderful approach to the ninth saw him sign for a 68.
Matteo Manassero was also in the group at five under after a 71.
The Italian got off to a fast start with birdies on the tenth and 12th but found trouble around the turn, bogeying the 18th and first. He birdied the third and bogeyed the sixth before a gain on the par three eighth got him back into red numbers for the day.
Thai Phachara Khongwatmai completed the group four off the lead after a 69 containing five birdies and two bogeys.
