Chasers like Jeff Winther and Joel Girrbach are close behind, shooting rounds of 64 and 65 respectively, just one shot off the lead.

Marco Penge, a two-time DP World Tour winner, leads the tournament after a flawless four-birdie round of 67, sitting one shot ahead of Jeff Winther and Joel Girrbach.

Shane Lowry, despite a solid second round of 68, missed the cut after opening with a poor 75, ending his run in the tournament.

Rahm's goal is to surpass Seve Ballesteros as the most successful golfer in European Tour history, with previous wins at this tournament in 2018, 2019, and 2022.

The tournament continues with third-round coverage scheduled for Saturday at 12:30 pm on Sky Sports Golf, with streaming options available through NOW.

This marks Rahm's seventh appearance in Madrid, where he has previously won three times and was runner-up last year.

Jon Rahm made a strong comeback at the Spanish Open, shooting a 66 with seven birdies in the second round to reach five-under par and reduce his deficit to five shots behind leader Marco Penge.

Rahm is aiming for his fourth title at his home tournament and is currently tied for 18th place, seeking to surpass Seve Ballesteros as the most successful golfer in the tournament's history.

Defending champion Ángel Hidalgo missed the cut after finishing three over par, preventing him from competing in the final rounds.

Sergio Garcia secured his place in the weekend with a one-under 70, maintaining his position at one-over overall.

Penge's back-to-back birdies in the final holes helped him take the lead, moving to nine-under par after his four-under round.