An eight-under-par 63 was always going to difficult to beat and though overnight leader Rory McIlroy came nowhere near it in his second round at the Omega European Masters in Crans-sur-Sierre his level par 71 was enough to keep him in pole position in the Swiss Alps.

The Holywood youngster is bidding to become the third youngest winner in European Tour history and was well on course last night when finishing three clear of the field.

The 19-year-old stretched his lead to four with an opening birdie, but although he chipped in on the eighth and added a further birdie at the long 14th there were also three bogeys on his card and now has company at the top in the shape of defending champion Brett Rumford.

The Australian, playing just his second event of the year in Europe after earning a US Tour card, returned his second successive 67.

Rumford birdied three of his first five holes, grabbed two more early on the front nine, but bogeyed the 506-yard par-four fourth like McIlroy and parred his way in from there.

Only South African Dale Hayes and Spanish star Seve Ballesteros have tasted success on the circuit at a younger age than McIlroy.

Should he do it on Sunday, last year's top amateur at The Open would be only five days older than Ballesteros was when he captured the 1976 Dutch Open.

Argentina's Juan Abbate was a stroke behind, while Dubliner Peter Lawrie, Spaniard Alejandro Canizares and another Australian, Scott Barr, all stood six under.

Lawrie added a 69 to yesterday's 67 with card that showed four birdies.

A 70 left David Higgins one over and a shot adrift of the cut of level par, while Gary Murphy at three over after a 73 today also missed out.

McIlroy was pleased with a steady round today under the circunstances.

"It's always difficult to follow up a really low round. I've learnt that before.

"You rarely see a player go 63-64. A 71 was a pretty good effort. It was quite tricky out there and some of the pin positions are quite extreme," McIlroy said.