Martin Kaymer returned to form in spectacular style to claim the halfway lead at the Italian Open.
The German, who had missed the cut in three of his last four global events, carded eight birdies in a flawless second-round 63 at Gardagolf.
That took him to 11 under par for the week, a shot clear of Spain's Rafa Cabrera Bello, Northern Ireland's Graeme McDowell, home favourite Francesco Molinari, Belgian Thomas Pieters and England's Danny Willett on a congested leaderboard.
And with the cut coming at four under, all 83 players who made the weekend will fancy their chances of mounting a challenge in Brescia.
That will involve catching Kaymer, however, who looked to be returning to the sort of form that saw him win two Major titles and become World Number One as he reeled off five successive birdies on the back nine.
"It's been a while since I played that solid," said Kaymer, who was beaten in a play-off in this event three years ago.
"I think I was getting very close recently but that positivity was missing on the golf course because I haven't had a lot of good results.
"It doesn't matter if you've won majors and had the situations I had at the Ryder Cup, it's really exciting to be in a position that you can win a golf tournament again."
That the 33 year old is currently 117th in the Official World Golf Ranking is primarily down to the fact that Kaymer has not won a title on any tour since capturing his second Major in stunning style at Pinehurst in 2014.
Kaymer made a strong start to his second round, holing birdie putts at the second and thidr before adding a gain at the eighth to turn in 32.
A lengthy effort on the 14th was then the highlight of a run of five successive gains from the 13th, although he could not make it six on the bounce at the last.
Willett has also struggled with injuries and form since making his Major breakthrough at the 2016 Masters Tournament, but carded four unanswered birdies in a 67, while McDowell - who has not won on the European Tour since 2014 - was round in 66 as he and Cabrera Bello, who signed for a 67, set the morning pace.
For long spells in the afternoon session it looked as though the Ryder Cup pair might not be caught, but once Willett joined them on ten under several others moved swiftly, with playing partners Pieters and Molinari both birdieing the 17th to join the leading pack.
Molinari, winner of the last Rolex Series event at Wentworth last week, has now gone 80 holes without a bogey but insisted: "I'm trying not to think about it.
"In the end, it's better to make a bogey and a few more birdies. I'm trying to stay aggressive and do my best.
"It's a course where a lot of people are up at the top of the leaderboard, so it's going to be I think a bit of a birdie-fest at the weekend and I need to be ready for it."
South African Erik Van Rooyen, Dane Thorbjorn Olesen, Swede Jens Dantorp and overnight co-leader Robert Rock were alltied for seventh on nine under.
