Tommy Fleetwood shot a four-under round of 67 to put himself within a stroke of the lead after the second round of the Truist Championship.
The 35-year-old Englishman made five birdies and a bogey to match his Thursday score and move just behind South Korea’s Sungjae Im, who carded a steady two-under round of 69 to end the day at nine under.
Fleetwood’s compatriot Alex Fitzpatrick and American Justin Thomas are a further shot back at seven under.
Fitzpatrick is nine strokes ahead of older brother and world number three Matt Fitzpatrick, who is two over for the tournament.
Masters champion Rory McIlroy followed up a consistent first-round outing featuring 17 consecutive pars with a four-under round of 67.
In between bogeys at the second and 18th, Northern Ireland’s McIlroy banked six birdies to keep himself in contention on five under at Quail Hollow in North Carolina.
American Rickie Fowler’s nine birdies helped him surge up the leaderboard with a second round of eight-under 63 to move level with McIlroy.
Fowler’s score was the best of the day by four strokes, and an 11-shot improvement on his opening round.
First-round leader Matt McCarty trended in the opposite direction, following Thursday’s 63 with a 74 to join Fowler and McIlroy in a tie for eighth through 36 holes.
The no-cut tournament is the last event before the US PGA Championship takes place at the Aronimink Golf Club in Pennsylvania from 14-17 May.