Australian Mike Harwood moved clear at the top of the leaderboard in the Cannes Mougins Masters after an explosive start to his second round in France.
The five-time European Tour winner, who was tied for the overnight lead with Marc Farry and Bruce Vaughan, posted four consecutive birdies from the third hole to reach ten under par at the turn.
Harwood is chasing his second European Senior Tour title and finished a morale-boosting tied seventh in last week’s Casa Serena Open.
Argentine Horacio Carbonetti is the clubhouse leader after a round of 68 which moved him to eight under par for the tournament.
The 63 year old has only recorded one top 20 finish so far in 2011 but fired six birdies to keep in contention at Cannes Mougins.
Farry, the defending champion and tournament co-organiser, opened his second round with six straight pars, while Vaughan also began with nine pars in succession before birdies on the tenth and 12thsandwiched a double bogey five on the par three 11th. The American, who won The 2008 Senior Open Championship, eventually signed for a 71 after birdies on the 16thand 17thto move to seven under par.
Scotsman Ross Drummond and Englishman Gary Wolstenholme, who were paired together, both posted five under par rounds of 67 to move to four under par and three under par respectively.
