Andy Sullivan’s 64 on Thursday was enough for second place after one round; another 64 gave him the tournament lead at the Portugal Masters on Friday.
Sullivan finished the first 36 holes at 14-under, three strokes ahead of Thomas Pieters.
A third win would be a career mark for Sullivan, who won the Joburg Open and South African Open Championship earlier this year.
“It’s always nice to back up a good score with a new one,” Sullivan said. “Sometimes it’s quite tough to go out there and back it up after shooting a low one yesterday.”
Sullivan started on the back nine and was off to a flying start, birdying the 10th, 13th, 15th, and 17th.
Perhaps his most impressive hole of the day was the seventh, a par-4 that spans 510 yards. Sullivan birdied it for a second straight day.
France’s Alexander Levy, the defending champion, missed the cut.
