Crans Montana, Switzerland (My Sportsbook) - Thomas Aiken fired a seven-under 64 on Friday to move atop the leaderboard after the second round of the European Masters.

Aiken finished 36 holes at 10-under 132 and is one stroke ahead of both Bradley Dredge (65) and Miguel Angel Jimenez (68) at the Golf Club Crans-sur- Sierre.

Simon Dyson (71), Paul McGinley (68), Ross McGowan (67) and Angelo Que (65) are knotted in fourth place at minus-eight.

The field is chasing Aiken, a player who began the 2009 campaign without status on the European Tour, but went into this week's event 42nd in the Road to Dubai.

"It's been a fantastic year," said Aiken, who is winless on tour. "I've thoroughly enjoyed myself. You never stop setting goals for yourself. It's not over yet."

Aiken's bid for a maiden victory started with a respectable three-under 68 on Thursday, but he flew out of the gate on Friday.

Aiken birdied No. 1, but dropped a shot at the par-four second. He birdied the par-four fifth for the second consecutive round, then used a run at the end of his front nine to vault up the leaderboard.

The South African birdied his final three holes on the opening side to make the turn in 32 and at seven-under par for the championship.

Aiken parred his first four holes on the back, but got within one stroke of the lead, held at the time by Dyson, at the par-five 14th. He birdied the hole on Thursday, but on Friday, he drained an eight-footer for eagle to reach nine-under par.

Dyson made some miscues down the stretch, but Aiken didn't. Aiken birdied the 18th, a hole he bogeyed on Thursday, to take his first 36-hole lead on the European Tour.

"I hit the ball solid today," said Aiken. "It's always about how you close, so today was good finishing with a birdie and even starting with one. All in all, a very good day.

"It's always nice to be on top," he acknowledged. "It's still early. There's two more rounds and it's always down to the back nine Sunday. I'll keep playing the same golf I'm playing and see where we end."

This is the first week of qualifying for the European Ryder Cup team in 2010 and that's the ultimate goal for Dredge. The Ryder Cup is in Wales, his home country and his bogey-free 65 on Friday puts him in great shape for some early points.

"The Ryder Cup is my goal -- that's it -- and while I've had a disappointing year so far, the season starts here," said Dredge.

Jimenez, a Ryder Cup veteran, mixed four birdies and a bogey over a seven-hole span over the turn.

First-round leader Brett Rumford (73), Johan Edfors (69), Christian Nilsson (70), Chapchai Nirat (67), Alexander Noren (70), Andres Romero (70), Charl Schwartzel (68) and Graeme Storm (66) are knotted in eighth place at seven- under 135.

The 36-hole cut fell at two-under 140 and there will not be a repeat winner. Jean-Francois Lucquin struggled to a two-over 73 and finished at even-par 142, which was two strokes off the cut line.

Former Masters champion Trevor Immelman and Thomas Bjorn also missed the weekend.