Mark Staunton doubled his lead on day two of the first stage of qualifying for the European Tour at the Roxburghe Hotel in Scotland on Wednesday.
The Ballinasloe-based 30-year-old turned his three-shot advantage after the first round into a six-stroke lead to put even more daylight between him and the rest of the field.
He fired a 68 to go with an opening 67, starting out with four birdies in his first six holes before dropping a shot at the short eighth. Two more birdies and another bogey followed after the turn to leave the Irishman on nine-under-par.
Scotland's Neil Fenwick is his closest challenger on three-under.
Muskerry's Peter O'Keeffe is in joint fourth, eight shots behind Staunton, following a round of 70, while Kerry's Mark Murphy and Damian Mooney of Ballyliffin are in a tie for 11th place.
It was an up-and-down round for Mooney, with the 44-year-old coming home in 74, while Murphy, a former US Tour caddie for Rocco Mediate, produced a level-par 72, which included one birdie and one bogey.
There will be a cut at the end of today's third round and then the top nine finishers plus ties after the fourth round will go forward to the second qualifying stage at one of four venues across Spain in early November.
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