Garry Houston shot a flawless one-under-par 68 in the second round of the Ryder Cup Wales 2010 Welsh Open PGA Championship to grab a one-shot lead.
The European Tour player showed his class at Royal St David's to lie one stroke ahead of Knaresborough's Andrew Turner and Moor Hall's Cameron Clark, who posted 69 and 70 respectively.
Adam Constable also shot 68 to propel up the leadboard into fourth place on three over for the tournament, although overnight joint leader Matthew McGuire slipped back after a 72 left him three over in total.
Houston, whose last appearance on the European Tour was at the Russian Open last month, where he tied for 30th, had just one birdie on - the par-five seventh - but did not drop a shot on any hole.
"I played okay again," he said. "I didn't hole any putts though. From tee to green I was a lot more steady but I missed five or six good chances for birdie.
"I'm happy not to make a bogey all day though."
Asked how he found playing in this competition compared to European Tour events, the 37-year-old replied: "It's different. It's nice to be away from the pressure of the Tour, it's more relaxed.
"There are a lot of good players here though, who are only a little step away from being where I am.
"I've got very fond memories of this place. I won the Welsh Amateur Championship here in 1995 and it's nice to come back."
Being such a high-profile name in a field of relative minnows might put even more pressure on Houston to win, but he said: "The only pressure is the pressure I put on myself.
"This was classed as a practice week so anything that comes out of it here is a bonus."
Turner had to complete the last four holes of the first round in the morning as bad light curtailed play before he could finish last night, so he started at 7.30am before heading out for his second round just before 11am.
"It wasn't a problem having that break," Turner said. "Our hotel is very close so in between we went back there for breakfast.
"I've played pretty solid both days. I'm hitting my irons really well and didn't miss many greens. I think I missed only two all day.
"I'm putting the ball nicely and getting a good feel for the putter, although I narrowly missed quite a few. If I can start getting those to drop I've got a good chance."
Morpeth's David Clark enjoyed the round of the day, firing a four-under-par 65 to sit at five over overall.
"When I went out today I was just thinking about making the cut but I played well and made a great score," he said. "I only had one bogey, on 15.
"On the 18th I holed a putt from about 50ft from the fringe on the left for birdie so it was just one of those days."