Sam Horsfield propelled himself to the top of the leaderboard at the 2020 Celtic Classic following a splendid 64 in Newport.
The Englishman, who won his maiden European Tour title at the Hero Open during the second leg of the six week UK Swing, moved into contention courtesy of four successive birdies around the turn but it could have been even better for the 23-year-old.
Horsfield held a three shot lead over Callum Shinkwin and Andrew Johnston as he stood at the penultimate hole of his second round at The Celtic Manor Resort.
However, a triple bogey six at the 17th saw him drop from 12 under to co-leadership with his fellow Englishmen.
Horsfield responded in style though, with a magnificent approach to the par five last to 12 feet before draining the eagle putt for a 64 and two shot lead at 11 under par.
The World Number 133 began the day with a birdie-bogey-birdie start to get up to five under following his opening round 67.
Horsfield picked up another shot at the fifth before he began his birdie blitz at the ninth, which sat him one behind Shinkwin.
Shinkwin, playing ahead of Horsfield, carded back to back gains from the second to catapult him to five under but he dropped a shot at the fifth.
He picked it back up with a gain at the next before rounding off his front nine with a birdie-birdie finish to join overnight leader Thomas Pieters at seven under par.
Shinkwin then moved ahead with a birdie at the 11th to move into the solo lead, but Horsfield was one behind after dialling his approach to four feet at the tenth for another gain.
Horsfield picked up his third shot in a row at the 11th to gain control of the leaderboard, however, he was not alone for long.
Shinkwin parred his way home until the last, where he recorded his seventh birdie of the day to set the new clubhouse mark at nine under.
Horsfield continued the gain train though, as he stuck his approach to seven feet at the 12th and when rolled the subsequent birdie putt, he became the leader at ten under.
He reached the short par four 15th in one and two putted to extend his lead before he holed out a sublime bunker shot at the next for his ninth birdie to reach 12 under.
The 17th looked to have derailed his confidence after finding thick rough with tee shot, which needed two shots to get onto the green before three putting, to drop back to nine under.
But the Englishman redeemed himself with a stunning eagle at the last to get his nose back in front.
Johnston carded five under par in his final four holes to surge into contention in a roller coaster second round in Newport.
Johnston, affectionately known as 'Beef', struggled with sand at the 13th on Thursday and suffered similar fate on his opening hole as he recorded a triple bogey seven after finding the bunker.
Another dropped shot at the fifth saw him slip to one under before his sensational turnaround in form, where he birded four of the next six holes to return to four under.
A brilliant eagle two at the 15th saw him trend upwards before draining a lengthy birdie putt at the next.
His irons were deadeye at the last two holes, dialling into three feet and two feet respectively for tap in gains to reach nine under.
Thomas Detry, who narrowly lost out to Horsfield at the Hero Open, has yet to drop a shot in south Wales as he goes in search of his maiden European Tour crown.
The Belgian went one better than his opening round 67 as he rolled in five birdies at the third, ninth, 11th, 15th and 18th to sit in a tie for second with Shinkwin and Johnston.
Another Englishman, Matthew Jordan, was one shot adrift with four holes left to play in sole fifth, while Spaniard Nacho Elvira and home favourite Rhys Enoch were in the clubhouse at seven under.
Australian Jake McLeod, with two holes left, American Sean Crocker, who had played 11, and Pieters - through five - were also in the top ten at seven under par.
