Doha, Qatar (My Sportsbook) - Louis Oosthuizen fired a seven-under 65 on Friday to move atop the leaderboard after the second round of the Qatar Masters.

Oosthuizen has a three-shot advantage at 12-under 132 and set a new 36-hole tournament record. Six players shared the old mark of 133 at Doha Golf Club, but Oosthuizen owns the spot in tournament history thanks to 13 birdies and only one bogey so far this week.

Overnight co-leader and 1998 champion Andrew Coltart shot a three-under 69 and is alone in second place at nine-under, followed by Alvaro Quiros (67) and Brett Rumford (69), who share third at minus-eight.

Spain's Miguel Angel Jimenez, who also held a piece of the first-round lead, only managed a one-under 71 on Friday and is alone in fifth place at seven- under-par 137.

Oosthuizen got off to a slow start on Friday. He parred his first three holes and his first trip into red numbers came courtesy of a birdie at the par-four fourth.

He closed his front nine with back-to-back birdies to make the turn at eight- under par for the championship.

Oosthuizen continued his good form early on the back nine. He birdied the 10th and 12th holes and with the birdie at 12, moved past Coltart and into sole possession of the lead.

The South African padded his lead thanks to consecutive birdies from the 15th. He made amends on 15, which was where his only bogey of the week took place on Thursday.

Oosthuizen parred out to earn the halfway lead.

"I'm happy," said Oosthuizen. "I still feel like there was quite a few birdies out there that I left on the course. I always try not to make any bogeys. It was nice not to make too many mistakes."

Oosthuizen is still searching for his first European Tour victory, but appears to be inching closer. Last week at the Abu Dhabi Championship, Oosthuizen fired a 65 on Sunday and tied for second behind Paul Casey.

"On the weekend, I'm going to try and do the same thing and see how many greens I can hit," said Oosthuizen. "I can make a few birdies."

Coltart has not claimed victory on tour since the 2001 Great North Open. He mixed four birdies and one bogey in his round on Friday in an attempt to find his game that made him the first winner in this tournament's history.

"There were some scrappy moments, it is the type of game you can not play the same one day to a next, but I got the job done with a couple of nice chips, a couple of nice pitches and a couple of nice putts," said Coltart. "It was by no means the perfect round of golf, but I am delighted to shoot under par."

Henrik Stenson was the third overnight co-leader and posted an even-par 72. He is tied for sixth place with Paul Broadhurst (70), Maarten Lafeber (70), Damien McGrane (69), Chapchai Nirat (69) and Rod Pampling (68). That group finished at six-under 138.

Sergio Garcia, Robert Karlsson, Aaron Baddeley and Lee Westwood are part of a group tied for 16th place a four-under 140.

Ernie Els shot a 71 and is tied for 25th at minus-three, while defending champion Adam Scott rebounded from an opening 73 with a two-under 70. He is in a logjam tied for 47th at one-under 143.

The 36-hole cut fell at even-par 144 and among those with the weekend off are: Casey (145), Darren Clarke (146), Justin Rose (146), Colin Montgomerie (146) and Boo Weekley (147).