Sergio Garcia and Francesco Molinari will take a share of the lead into the weekend at the DP World Tour Championship, Dubai after an enthralling second day at Jumeirah Golf Estates.
Both men began the day two shots behind overnight leader Lee Westwood but caught him early in their rounds on a day of nip-and-tuck scoring in the United Arab Emirates.
An impressive late burst of scoring then moved the trio away from the pack but a bogey on the last from the Englishman meant he would tee off on Saturday a shot behind Garcia and Molinari, who were nine under after rounds of 67.
Tyrrell Hatton came home in 31 to equal the low round of the week with a 66 and get to seven under alongside Joost Luiten, Charl Schwartzel and Bernd Wiesberger.
Italian Molinari is going in search of his second title of the season after claiming his home Open in September, while Spaniard Garcia and Westwood are both looking for their first European Tour wins since 2014.
"I felt like I was swinging the club really, really well," said Garcia. "I was hitting a lot of good shots. I hit a couple of iffy putts here and there but I made some really good ones, also. I was very happy to see all of that.
"I'm excited about it. It's good to be out there with a chance the last tournament of the year. I just want to make sure that I keep playing the same way I've played these first two days and see where that takes us."
In the battle to win the Race to Dubai, leader Henrik Stenson remained in the box seat after he fired a 69 to sit at three under.
Just keep doing the same and hopefully I'll get a similar result tomorrow - Francesco Molinari
That was one shot behind Alex Noren - who also signed for a three under round - but Noren needs a top-two finish and some help from Stenson if he is to be crowned Europe's Number One.
Danny Willett was also at three under after a second round 70 while defending champion Rory McIlroy followed up his disappointing opening 75 with a 68 to sit two shots further back.
There had been a seven-way tie for the lead at seven under before Garcia, Molinari and Westwood - with 38 European Tour titles between them - pulled away from the pack.
Garcia - who already had four birdies and a bogey on the card with an incredible par save on the 12th - was the first to break out of the pack with a stunning approach to the 15th setting up a birdie.
Molinari then birdied the same hole and when Westwood produced a two-putt birdie on the par five 14th, there was a three-way tie at the top.
Garcia birdied the 16th from the fringe but Molinari repeated the trick from 15 feet and it was then Westwood's turn after an excellent second shot from a bunker.
The 43 year old then put his second shot on the last into the water to surrender a bogey to go with three birdies in his 70.
"I'm happy. It was another good day," said Molinari. "It's very early, obviously, but it's nice to keep building a nice good round after good round.
I'm exblockquoted about it. It's good to be out there with a chance the last tournament of the year - Sergio Garcia
"At this stage, just keep doing the same and hopefully I'll get a similar result tomorrow."
Austrian Wiesberger picked up five shots in his last five holes with the help of two eagles to sign for a 67 while South African Schwartzel was bogey-free in signing for the same score.
Dutchman Luiten remained blemish-free for the week in his 69 to sit a shot clear of Nicolas Colsaerts and Matthew Fitzpatrick, and two ahead of Byeong-hun An, Victor Dubuisson, Nacho Elvira and Søren Kjeldsen.
