He finished third in Moscow last year and is hoping to go even better this time, describing his chance this week as potentially “life-changing”.

With so many top names playing in the US PGA championship this week, it is the likes of Drysdale looking to capitalise at the newly-sanctioned European Tour event where the prize pot has grown since last year from €397,000 to €778,000.

Twelve months ago Moscow was not a fixture on the main tour, however with a main tour exemption on offer to the winner there is now considerable incentive.

Drysdale might come to rue his disappointing second round, as Spain’s Carlos Rodiles and Francis Valera pulled alongside him on 12 under par.

Rodiles, who yesterday posted a 63, followed that with a 69, while Valera added a 67 to his opening 65.

Rodiles would have held the outright lead, but bogeys at his closing two holes - he began on the 10th tee – were his undoing.

Two shots behind the front three was South Africa’s James Kingston, after a second successive bogey-free round, this time a 69 to follow his 65.

Ireland’s Gary Murphy was fifth on nine-under 135 after a solid 68, with Argentinian Rodolfo Gonzalez a further shot off the pace.

On the course, Nick Faldo protégé James Heath was six under for his round. The 23-year-old former English Amateur Championship winner was seven under for the tournament.

Yorkshire’s Iain Pyman gave himself every chance of making the cut after a birdie at his closing hole allowed him to follow up a woeful opening 76 with a five-under-par 67.

That left Pyman one under for the tournament, with the projected cut at level par.