British Masters Day Two

Soren Kjeldsen set the early clubhouse target in the British Masters today with Matthew Fitzpatrick still out on the course, but Fitzpatrick hung on to share the lead with a -2 under 69.

Fitzpatrick had held the overnight lead after an opening 64 and was briefly two shots clear when he birdied the 10th, his first hole of the day, but dropped shots on the 11th, 16th and first.

Fitzpatrick finished with a birdie from seven feet to complete a hard fought 69 and join Kjeldsen in the lead on nine under. It has been a great season for the twenty-one year old Englishman in his first full year on tour. He’s now 36th on the Race to Dubai after three top-three finishes in his last seven events.

When asked about the prospect of winning his first title this weekend, Fitzpatrick said: "Hopefully it will come with time. I have said to everyone it's not something I am absolutely chasing and focusing on.

"If I don't win between now and the Masters but get into Augusta on the world rankings, I will be a happy man."

Kjeldsen had five birdies and two bogeys to add a 68 to his opening 65 and finish nine under par. He was level par for the day after 11 holes before holing a bunker shot on the third and picking up further birdies from close range on the fifth and sixth.

"That was nice because I had a little bit of a slow start," Kjeldsen said. "I made a nice birdie on one and then a poor bogey on two. I hit a bad second shot on three into the bunker there and then I holed that nice bunker shot and that sort of set me up for the back nine. I played well after that."

Ireland's Shane Lowry finished the day two shots off the leaders with a round of 69, and one shot behind Richard Bland, Mikael Lundberg, and Kiradech Aphibarnrat.

Robert Rock shot the lowest score of the day with -6 under 65, and is tied fifteenth with David Howell who shot a 66 after a level par in the opening round.

Notable names missinng the cut are Thorbjorn Olesen, Darren Clarke, Matteo Manassero, Alvaro Quiros and Thomas Aiken.