A former foursomes partner of Ryder Cup star Tommy Fleetwood, Baldwin is in pole position to claim the first prize of Stg 1.15million ($A2.25 million) after adding a 66 on Friday to his opening 65 for a halfway total of 13 under par, matching the tournament record set by Paul McGinley in 2008.
British Masters winner Niklas Norgaard is Baldwin's nearest challenger on 11 under following a 68, with France's Antoine Rozner another stroke back after firing six birdies in the last seven holes in a bogey-free 65.
Rory McIlroy lies four shots off the lead on nine under after adding a 68 to his opening 67.
Australian veteran Adam Scott, making a rare outing on the European tour in its flagship event, shot a 69 to lie at four under for the championship, in joint-32nd place.
His compatriot Jason Scrivener, though, slipped back to one under after a second-round 75, despite an eagle three at the last.
The second round wasn't quite completed after more than an hour and a quarter was lost earlier on Friday due to the threat of lightning shortly before noon, with Baldwin having just holed from 25 feet for par on the 16th before the siren sounded.
The 38-year-old won his first European tour title in South Africa last year, but admitted he had considered quitting the game on several occasions as he battled to keep his card.
"I had three or four months working at Amazon, driving a van just to see me through the winter before the Challenge Tour started in 2022," explained Baldwin, who lost his card in 2016 but regained it for 2018 after a sixth visit to the qualifying school.
"I learned a lot from that. I learned that there are other things that I could do in life, but I also learned that I really wanted to play golf.
"I remember pulling up to a block of flats, jumped out the van, got in the back and all of a sudden I feel like I'm moving and I'm like, 'Oh no, I forgot to put the handbrake on'.
"So I've ran out the back, ran around the side, yanked the handbrake up, still wouldn't stop, yanked it more, it eventually stopped inches short of a blue Fiesta.
"There was a woman I was delivering a parcel to who watched the whole thing and she said, 'I couldn't get my phone out quick enough to film it'."
Growing up in Southport, Baldwin played junior golf with Ryder Cup star Fleetwood, whose second round of 68 left him six shots behind his former Lancashire teammate.
"I don't think we ever lost," Baldwin smiled. "We played a lot of golf growing up, graduated the same year from Challenge Tour and obviously played a little bit out here.
"Our paths have gone slightly different but hopefully I can catch him up."
