Argentina's Angel Cabrera fired a scintillating eight-under-par 63 to surge into the clubhouse lead halfway through the second round of the Singapore Open today.
The US Open champion began the day in a tie for 24th on even par but stormed up the leaderboard with a new course record to stand two shots clear of co-overnight leader Jin Park of the US, who carded a 70.
"I really hit it well off the tee and made everything that I needed to. That was the difference between today and yesterday's round," Cabrera told reporters.
"I just stroked the ball very solidly all day, especially on my back nine."
While Cabrera reeled off the birdies on the demanding Serapong Course, playing partner Ernie Els had a round to forget, the world number four missing the cut after a five-over 76 left him at six over par for the tournament.
Out on the course, joint overnight leader Gavin Flint of Australia was even par for his round after eight holes and three behind Cabrera, with American Phil Mickelson and South Korea's K.J. Choi a further shot adrift approaching the turn.
Lee Westwood also made a positive move among the early starters, the Briton third in the clubhouse on four under after a bogey-free 67, a shot clear of Japan's Tetsuji Hiratsuka.
Playing the back nine first, Cabrera was just one under for his round after seven holes before he rattled off seven birdies over the next nine holes to pull clear of the field.
Els, meanwhile, was left to rue a bad week on and off the course after overcoming a bout of food poisoning and fending off questions over critical comments concerning the European Tour.
The South African leads the order of merit in Europe but a clash of dates and a commitment to the Singapore Open has opened the door for four other players to overtake Els at the Volvo Masters in Spain, the final event on the European Tour.
Els never got going today, slipping out of contention with eight bogeys and a sloppy back-nine of 40.
"I was battling with my swing a bit and on the greens," he said. "I was hoping for a lot better things this week but that's golf. I just have to move on."