Bernd Wiesberger shot a course record 7-under 65 to take a one-stroke lead over Marcus Fraser after the second-round of the Ballantine's Championship on Friday.
Wiesberger took advantage of calm early morning conditions to make seven birdies in a bogey-free round at the Blackstone Golf Course. The 26-year-old Austrian was at 7-under 137 in search of his first European Tour victory.
Fraser, the 2010 Ballantine's champion, had a 67.
Spain's Miguel Angel Jimenez, at 48 aiming to become the oldest winner in European Tour history, shot a 68 to move into fourth place, three shots off the lead. England's Paul Casey (72) and Ian Poulter (67) were five shots behind in the event sanctioned by the European and Asian tours.
First-round leader Victor Dubuisson of France, who thrived in difficult conditions for a 68 on the opening day, shot 75 to slide to six shots off the lead.
''It was a totally different golf course out there,'' said Wiesberger, who will attempt to follow in the footsteps of Martin Wiegele and Marcus Brier and become the third Austrian to win on the European Tour.
''Yesterday it was really tough and I had to stay patient. Today I played similar quality golf, but for the first 12 holes it was totally calm out there and I couldn't really do anything wrong.''
Wiesberger's best tour finish so far was at Gleneagles last year, when he made it into a five-man playoff for the Johnnie Walker Championship won by Denmark's Thomas Bjorn.
Fraser, a two-time winner in Europe, finished fourth at the Avantha Masters in India in February and last week finished sixth at the Volvo China Open.
British Open champion Darren Clarke missed the cut after he followed his first-round 77 with a 72.
