In a tense week in Scotland all focussed on the Ryder Cup it was Vice Captain Paul McGinley who was leading the way with great composure carding a two under par second round to remain within three shots of the joint leaders at the Johnnie Walker Championship.
David Lynn joined European Tour rookies Julien Guerrier and Gary Boyd in a share of the halfway lead at Gleneagles. The 36 year old Englishman Lynn has been a European Tour regular for over a decade, but despite consistently finishing in the top 100 on The Race to Dubai has only one victory to his name - the 2004 KLM Open.
By contrast Boyd and Guerrier are enjoying their first seasons on The European Tour - France's Guerrier came through last November's Qualifying School, while England's Boyd secured his card via The Challenge Tour.
After missing out on last week's Czech Open in a play-off to Peter Hanson, Boyd looks to have already secured his card for next season, and he admits that with the pressure off he is setting himself some lofty targets.
Guerrier is currently 125th on The Race to Dubai, so knows the importance of a good finish here which would move him into the top 115 who retain their playing privileges.
Meanwhile Simon Dyson's dream of playing in The Ryder Cup is still alive with only two days of the year-long marathon to go. However, it might not be enough even if he does go crazy and grab the victory he needs to have a chance of a debut at The Celtic Manor Resort in just over a month.
Spain's Miguel Angel Jiménez will keep out Dyson if he finishes in the top nine on Sunday - and after a 68 he is also six under par at halfway, three behind the co-leaders.
With big-hitting Alvaro Quiros, also on a win-or-bust mission, only just squeezing through the cut on one under par, the Yorkshire golfer looks like the main threat to Jiménez and Peter Hanson.
Swede Hanson won last week's Czech Open to move into eighth place on the points table and since he is also six under at halfway - so are Molinari and his brother Francesco - it looks like becoming a battle between Jiménez and Dyson.
Hanson birdied the last three holes for his second successive 69 and a 43rd place finish for him puts him in the side regardless of what anybody else does. Jiménez had hopes of something special when he birdied three of the first four, but it was only when he birdied the par five last - like Dyson - that he moved to four under for the day.
Damien McGrane signed for a 67 and remains five under ahead of third round.
Simon Thornton completed his round late in the day to remain 2 under after a round of 70 to stay inside the cut and play the weekend.
Shane Lowry was two over par and outside the mark after a round of 74.
Peter Lawrie - runner up last week in the Czech Open - dropped down to 3 over par after starting out the day level as a result of a second round 73 - also missing out.
Gary Murphy finished with a 77 to end the tournament on +5.
