Sam Horsfield was relishing the chance to challenge at the weekend in a Rolex Series event after a second-round 68 put him right in contention at the BMW PGA Championship.
The Englishman has enjoyed a meteoric rise in recent years, enjoying a successful collegiate career in the United States while qualifying for back-to-back US Opens in 2015 and 2016.
The following year he won the Final Stage of Qualifying School by eight shots to earn his European Tour card and while he has only made five cuts in 13 events, two of those resulted in top fives, including a runner-up finish at the Tshwane Open.
The 21 year old opened with a 67 on his Rolex Series debut and after turning in 34 on Friday, he made four birdies in five holes from the 16th to get to double figures and surge up the leaderboard.
A bogey on the 17th took some of the gloss off his performance but he was guaranteed a late start on moving day and a pairing with four-time Major Championship winner Rory McIlroy.
"I think any time you're playing on the weekend and you're up there near Rory, I think you're going to be doing pretty well," he said. "I'm just looking forward to tomorrow, whether I be playing with Rory or whoever I end up playing with, I'm going to go out there and give it my all.
"The golf course is really good for me and I like the way it is. I'll just keep playing my game and let everything else take care of itself.
"It's not the widest of golf courses off the tee so you can definitely get yourself in trouble with the big trees but you can make birdies out here as the guys have shown.
"The conditions are soft with the rain yesterday and you can go flag hunting and I think it's going to become a putting contest coming down to Sunday. I feel really comfortable with my putter right now so I'm looking forward to it."
Sébastien Gros joined Horsfield at nine under as he birdied the last in the twilight after going out in the final group of the day.
I'm just looking forward to tomorrow. I'm going to go out there and give it my all - Sam Horsfield
The Frenchman sandwiched a bogey on the third with birdies on the second and sixth. Another gain on the eighth set off a run where he picked up five shots in as many holes, going birdie-birdie-eagle from the tenth, making two further birdies and two more bogeys in a roller coaster back nine.
"I started hitting the irons very close from the eighth to the 12th, then I struggled with two bogeys from two bad tee-shots," he said. "But I had lots of great opportunities and the putter was great today.
"It was a good back nine and especially finishing so late in the day, you're not very used to it. The eagle at the 12th was the highlight after two eight iron shots within six feet and then a seven iron to 12 to six feet."
Horsfield and Gros were two shots ahead of defending champion Alex Noren, who signed for a 68.
The Swede joked after watching playing partner McIlroy record a stunning 65 that he was thinking about giving up the game but he made four birdies of his own in a bogey-free effort.
Noren knows how to play the West Course at Wentworth Club - with a remarkable closing 62 last season the proof - and he was happy with his position heading into the weekend.
"I'm super happy about seven under," he said. "If somebody would have given me seven under the first two rounds, I would have taken it.
"Then my short game and putting was on today. Maybe I played 11, 12 decent holes and then a few very bad ones but my chipping kept me in the game.
"If I get it going on the range and get a better feel over the ball, you don't have to hit perfect shots all the time but just a bit more consistent and then that kind of calms you down and you can get more out of your round."
