Home player Mardan Mamat overcame a shaky start to fire a two-under 70 in the second round of the Singapore Masters, his nine-under-par 135 total good enough for a one-stroke lead.

Joint leader overnight, the 38-year-old Singaporean finished the second round with the narrowest of advantages over Australia's Marcus Both and Thailand's Prayad Marksaeng, whose late collapse gifted Mardan top spot.

Australia's Wade Ormsby is a further two shots back on six-under, while a group of five players, including defending champion Nick Dougherty of England, share fifth place on five-under in the co-sanctioned European and Asian Tour event.

Mardan struggled on the front nine and a pair of bogeys on the par fives left him two-over for his round and in danger of slipping down the leaderboard. However, the father of five regained his composure on the eighth to register the first of his four birdies that took him back ahead of the field as Prayad manufactured a collapse of dramatic proportions.

Following his opening round 67, the 40-year-old Thai had stormed into the lead with six birdies over his opening eight holes before disaster struck on the par-four 16th.

Two shots clear of the field at 11-under, Prayad drove into the right rough and could only bogey after his second shot came up short of the green. Worse was to follow on the testing par-three 17th when his tee shot found the water on his way to a triple-bogey six.

The five-times Asian Tour winner showed remarkable composure to birdie the last following an exquisite drive and approach shot left him the simplest of putts.

Starting the day in a share of seventh place, Both picked up four birdies and an eagle against a pair of bogeys on the par-72 Laguna National Golf and Country Club to set the pace among the morning starters.

"I played nice and solid today, didn't go for anything out of the ordinary," the 26-year-old Both told reporters. "I was hitting a lot of good shots like I had in the last few weeks but yesterday and today, it was getting a bit better."

Defending champion Dougherty was enjoying a solid round and had moved to seven-under for the tournament a wayward tee shot at the 17th resulted in a double-bogey five.

However, the 23-year-old Liverpudlian remains close enough with 36 holes to play to retain his maiden professional title.

After a three-under-par 69 yesterday Gary Murphy slumped to a 79 today and is unlikely to make the cut.

Best placed of the Irish are Michael Hoey who carded a 65 today for a four-under-par total of 140, while Peter Lawrie is a stroke further back adding a 69 to yesterday’s card of 72.