Henrik Stenson is looking to set himself up for a big summer after taking a share of the second-round lead at the BMW International Open at Golf Club Gut Laerchenhof.
The Swede has four top-ten finishes from seven events on the European Tour this season and had yet to finish outside of the top 30 before his withdrawal from last week's US Open due to injury.
He opened with a 68 in Germany and followed that with a blemish-free 65 on Friday to move to 11 under and into a share of the lead with Frenchman Raphaël Jacquelin and Thailand's Kiradech Aphibarnrat.
Jacquelin followed his opening round of 68 with a 65 while Aphibarnrat came home in just 30 shots as he equalled the low round of the day with a 64.
Dane Thorbjørn Olesen was then a shot back after a second consecutive 67, one clear of big-hitting South African Zander Lombard.
Stenson flew out of the blocks, making gains on his opener, the 12th and 13th and he added further birdies on the 16th, first, fourth and seventh.
"I came here to really try to put myself in contention and so far, so good; I've done that," he said.
"There's been a few tournaments in this late spring, early summer, where I feel like maybe I've been showing up feeling like I'm working on my game and not been 100 per cent there to compete.
"Now we don't have too many tournaments before the Open Championship, the PGA and the Olympics.
It's time to put that tournament focus back on and then go out and do a good job. I've done that for two days and I'm going to try to push myself to do it another two - Henrik Stenson
Jacquelin picked up shots on the third, sixth and seventh before a first bogey of the week on the eighth, but he bounced back with further gains on the 12th and 13th.
"It's always good to shoot a solid round after a good 65," he said. "That gave me some confidence for the weekend and put me right up there.
I'm very happy about my ball striking and my short game. That was solid again all day long - Raphaël Jacquelin
"I'm just going to focus and stay focused on what I'm doing at the moment on my swing and my short game.
"The rest, I'll try my best to shoot low again, and we'll see at the end of the weekend."
Aphibarnrat turned in 34 but really came to life after the turn as he sandwiched an eagle on the 13th with birdies on the tenth, 15th, 17th and last.
"This card is about the first shot," he said. "You put yourself in the fairways, you have opportunities to make a lot of birdies, and my putter was working better than yesterday. Striking the ball great at the flag, every single ball. It was a fantastic round.
"I haven't played good golf the last few months.
After I hit many good shots on the front nine, I got my confidence back and I believed in myself that I'm one of the top players - Kiradech Aphibarnrat
Lombard signed for a 68 to sit alongside Olesen, two shots clear of defending champion Pablo Larrazábal, Chile's Felipe Aguilar, South Africa's Darren Fichardt and Dutchman Joost Luiten.
Sergio Garcia was in the group at five under and he produced one of the highlights of the day with the 25th hole-in-one of the season on the 157 yard 11th.
Masters Tournament winner Danny Willett recovered from an opening 74 with a round of 70, but that left him one shot below the cut-line at level par.
