(CNN) -- Robert Karlsson shot four birdies in his three-under par 69, which gave him a one-stroke halfway lead in the Mercedes-Benz Championship in Cologne, with an eight-under 136.
Karlsson has nine top-10 finishes this season, three in majors.
The Swede's closest rival was Frenchman Jean-Francois Lucquin, who recorded a 71 as he sought a second successive title, following his maiden European Tour triumph in Switzerland on Sunday.
Another Swede Peter Hanson was on 138 after a second consecutive 69, England's Richard Finch was another stroke behind and on 140 were holder Soren Hansen and home player Marcel Siem.
Karlsson said: "It was important to forget about yesterday and how different the weather was. I tried to take it as a new challenge and not get caught up in the conditions because it was quite rotten when we were warming up with a lot of water in the bunker and it was close (to being suspended) for a while.
"I'm extremely happy with the round, especially playing in the last group when you are under a little more pressure. You just have to be in more and more situations like that to get used to it.
"If the win comes, it comes, but if not there are other years. It's important not to get caught up with it. When you are not winning you have to learn things and there were a number of tournaments where I did not do what I needed to at certain times."
Karlsson is chasing his first win of the season after nine top-10 finishes - including eighth in the US Masters, fourth in the US Open and seventh in the Open.
Whatever the outcome Karlsson is looking forward to next week's Ryder Cup as is defending champion Hansen, who will making his Cup debut in America.
Hansen fired 10 birdies in a sparkling 67, six coming in the first seven holes.
"The way I played today I could play with anybody, or play on my own," he said Hansen after a second-round 67 which contained 10 birdies, including six in his first seven holes.
The birdies were offset by a triple bogey and two bogeys. At the par-three 11th he found a greenside bunker and then four-putted. "I lost it a bit on 11 but got it straight back, which shows character once again and I'm really pleased with that.
"You're standing there before going out thinking this is going to be a round of survival because of the weather but I came out hitting good shots and making birdies and it just clicked.
"There's a lot of things going on with the Ryder Cup next week and defending here, and there's a lot of questions. Yesterday I was tired but I had a good night's sleep and I felt ready to go."http://edition.cnn.com/2008/SPORT/golf/09/12/golf.german/index.html
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