Britain's Ian Poulter went in search of his third win of the year with a faultless nine-under-par 63 that earned him a one-stroke lead on 16-under-par 128 in the German Masters second round today.
Overnight leader Fredrik Jacobsen, however, was unable to follow up his opening round score of 60, shooting a one-under-par 71 on Friday to slip to a tie for fifth.
Spain's Miguel Angel Jiminez, who shot a 62 with 10 birdies, is second, while his compatriot Carlos Rodiles (65) is tied for third on 14-under with Britain's Miles Tunnicliff (63).
Ireland's Darren Clarke failed to find the momentum that earned him a 65 in the opening round, managing only three birdies and two bogies for a 71 and a tie of 20th position on eight under par.
Next of the Irish is Paul McGinley who, despite three birdies, was unable to build on yesterday's 67 after suffering a double bogey on the ninth and a single on the fifth. The Dubliner remains on five under par.
Padraig Harrington missed the cut despite a 68 leaving him on three under alongside Damian McGrane. A 74 for Peter Lawrie means the Newlands man also departs early.
Graeme McDowell narrowly made the grade with a second 70 for four under.
Dane Anders Hansen put himself into contention with 10 birdies in the first 13 holes and another on the 17th before he made a bogey-five on the 18th to move to 13-under in total in a tie for fifth with South Korea's K.J. Choi (68) and Britain's Gary Orr (66).
Poulter, Jacobsen's playing partner on Friday, who has now set a season's best score to par after two rounds on the European tour, said he has additional goals to chase than adding to this season's Wales and Nordic Open titles.
Poulter, with no bogeys so far this week, is confident about his Ryder Cup chances now that swing changes with coach David Leadbetter seemed to have paid off.
"This week is huge as far as the Ryder Cup is concerned, but I just want to keep hitting the ball as well as I am doing and that will take care of the points with no problem.
"I'm a lot more consistent and playing so much better than the last Ryder Cup."
Poulter had what he called 'a real ding-dong' with Jacobson before the Swede dropped three shots in the last three holes, including a double-bogey on 16 when he tried to play out of rocks and reeds but saw his ball roll back into the hazard.
Former European number one, Lee Westwood, who won his first tournament in three years with victory in last month's BMW International, made the cut despite quadruple-bogeying the second, where he was given a two-shot penalty for illegally moving an advertising sign alongside a tee.
"A sign is a sign to me and I had no idea it was a tour rule that you can't remove signs by tees," said Westwood. "It was ridiculous really because I would have probably had a better lie if I'd just taken a free-drop."
Westwood sunk eight birdies over the rest of his round to shoot a five under 67 and make the cut by two strokes.
Seven-times European number one Colin Montgomerie, who is using his fourth different caddie in 17 months and returning to the belly-putter, could only card a 70 which left him two shots above the cut of four-under-par.
Two other high profile players to miss the cut were Nick Faldo, who was playing his first Ryder Cup ranking tournament, finished his two rounds on three-under 141, and Langer, who missed the cut for the first time in the event in 17 years.