Spain's Ignacio Garrido is a shot clear of the field at the halfway stage of the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles.
Five players one back on congested leaderboard
Spain's Ignacio Garrido is a shot clear of the field at the halfway stage of the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles.
The former Ryder Cup player added a 69 to his opening 67, a two at the 17th taking him a shot clear of a group of five players on seven-under.
They include England's Kenneth Ferrie - at 112 on the Race to Dubai battling to retain his card- and resurgent Dane Thomas Bjorn.
Ferrie's last victory came in the 2005 European Open at The K Club - after Bjorn, four ahead with a round to play, took 11 on the 17th hole and six on the last for an 86 that remains the worst score of his 16-year tour career.
With first round pace-setter Mark Foster adding a 71 to his opening 66, the 39-year-old Garrido took over at the top as he bids for his first victory since 2003.
Foster, also without a win in eight years, is now joint second with Bjorn, Ferrie, Ireland's Peter Lawrie and rookie Italian Lorenzo Gagli.
Bjorn has been tipped as a possible future Ryder Cup captain, but four months after serving as one of Colin Montgomerie's assistants, the 40-year-old won in Qatar and last month finished fourth in the Open.
Instead of skippering Continental Europe again in next month's Seve Trophy in Paris, he is all set for a return to the team.
"I want to play golf at the moment," said Bjorn when asked about the Ryder Cup captaincy. "I think when you get to my age you always hope there's one more in you.
"I don't see it as something that you can stand there and say 'I want to do that'. It's something that you're asked to do and, if asked, I think any player would say yes.
"It's not something I've got my sights set on because it's out of my control.
"I'm a professional golfer - I'm a player. That's what we are here to do and that's what I'm doing at the moment.
"I feel good about my game and as long as I enjoy it that's what I'll focus on. I don't want to sit on the sidelines in a buggy."
Belly putter
Ferrie's main priority is to secure his future on the circuit.
Only the top 115 retain their cards at the end of the season and Ferrie has turned back to a belly putter in a bid to get inside the number.
"I've been playing pretty well all year, hitting lots of good shots, but haven't been making the putts," said the Geordie.
"People looking at my results might not think my game's been there, but it's been decent. I just need to keep plugging away and hopefully things will keep going my way."
Both he and Bjorn shot 69, while Challenge Tour graduate Gagli had a bogey-free 68 to set up another shot at his first victory after finishes of third, eighth and fifth in his last four starts.
On a congested leaderboard, 18 players are within a shot of the lead, while with the cut coming at level par, all 67 qualifiers will feel they still have a chance of winning on Sunday.
