Alex Noren took over the lead in the Saab Wales Open with a second successive 67 – but he has defending champion Graeme McDowell only one behind.
The former Omega European Masters champion, who is looking forward to his US Open Championship debut - indeed his first Major in America - in two weeks after making it through with a stroke to spare at Walton Heath.
The 28 year old from Stockholm said: "I've always dreamed of playing a US Open and I'm so happy - so happy. It's such an energy boost."
He birdied four of the last five holes to take over at the top from South African Keith Horne, who after starting with a 64 failed to conjure up a single birdie in his 73.
McDowell also had four birdies in five holes, in his case from the eighth, and just as important was his recovery from under the lip of a bunker to two feet at the short tenth.
"One of the boys said Seve would have been proud of that one," he said. "I'm on a course I enjoy and in a position I enjoy."This is absolutely perfect for the US Open (he defends there as well in a fortnight). I said I just wanted to get in the mix and get the juices flowing and it's kind of mission accomplished
Welshman Jamie Donaldson is in joint third with France's Victor Dubuisson, but Phillip Price - another of the home contingent - had a real setback when he was going well.
On-course television commentator Howard Clark thought Price, one under at the time, had driven from in front of the tee at the 15th.
When it was checked on video a two shot penalty was imposed and he had to go back to the tee to play it again. He birdied it second time, but it meant a bogey on the card and he finished level par
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