Vilamoura, Portugal – England's Simon Khan fired a six-under- par 66 on Friday to take the lead after the second round of the Portugal Masters.
Khan finished 36 holes at 13-under 131 and is one stroke clear at Oceanico Victoria Golf Course.
First-round leader James Kingston (68), Rhys Davies (67) and Felipe Aguilar (66) are tied for second place at 12-under 132.
On a week where world No. 6 Martin Kaymer predicted many birdies, 108 of the 126 players who teed off this week have shot par or better. The cut fell at a staggering five-under 139, and 10 golfers are within three shots of first place.
But they'll all have to catch Khan.
He started brilliantly with back-to-back birdies at one and two. Khan added another the par-four fourth, a hole he made eagle on in Thursday's opening round.
"I started great - birdied the first two holes and that settled me down quickly," said Khan.
The Englishman bogeyed the par-four seventh, but atoned for the miscue with a 30-foot birdie putt at the par-three eighth, his second in as many rounds at the hole.
Khan was 10-under par, but a bogey at the 10th -- his last hiccup -- momentarily dropped him down the leaderboard.
Khan nearly chipped in for an eagle at the par-five 12th, but settled for a birdie. He followed that with a near ace at 13, but, once again, posted a birdie.
He was 11-under for the championship and battled for the top spot on the leaderboard. Davies moved ahead briefly, but Khan's finish propelled him to first.
At the par-five 17th, Khan didn't hit a great third, but his flat stick carried him. He rolled in a 25-foot birdie putt, then played a great approach to eight feet at the closing hole.
Khan converted that birdie putt and is alone atop the heap, a spot Khan barely remembers.
"I can't remember the last time I was leading," said Khan. "It was probably the Scottish Open with Graeme McDowell in 2008, something like that. But I enjoy being up there."
The last time Khan owned at least a share of the second-round lead was in France four years ago. He was right that his last piece of first following a round was after the third round of the 2008 Scottish Open, but, despite the hiatus between leads, he feels at home.
"Like I said yesterday, you have to embrace the pressure really, and if you want to be on the fringes on this tour, then go and do something else," said Khan. "It's only the shadow of your ambitions, the pressure, and you have just got to enjoy that and take it into yourself and go and do it."
Christian Nilsson (64), David Dixon (64) and Johan Edfors (67) share fifth place at minus-11.
Former amateur star Tom Lewis (64), Keith Horne (65), Rafael Cabrera-Bello (65) and three-time winner this year Thomas Bjorn (69) are tied for eighth at 10-under 134.
NOTES: Kaymer shot a four-under 68 and is part of a group tied for 12th at nine-under par...Last week's Madrid Masters winner Lee Slattery, Miguel Angel Jimenez and European Ryder Cup captain Jose Maria Olazabal missed the cut.
