Saturday 10 October 2015 13:01, UK
Matt Fitzpatrick staged an impressive finish to retain a share of the lead at the halfway stage of the British Masters supported by Sky Sports.
Another bumper crowd poured through the gates at Woburn in beautiful autumnal sunshine to see the 21-year-old add a battling 69 to his opening 64 and join Soren Kjeldsen at the top of the leaderboard on nine under par.
Fitzpatrick, the youngest player in the field, started at the 10th and was one over for the day after two birdies and three bogeys over his first 10 holes, but he balanced the books with a three at the third and picked up two more over his last three holes.
The Sheffield star is is currently ranked 111th in the world and will need to reach the top 50 by the end of the year or March 28, 2016 to secure a return to the Masters at Augusta.
After winning the US Amateur title in 2013, he partnered defending champion Adam Scott and US PGA champion Jason Dufner in the first two rounds at Augusta in 2014, where he missed the cut by a single shot.
Augusta dream
"That would be a dream come true as a professional," he said. "I don't think there is anywhere like that place. It's so special. It would be great to be there as a pro. That's where I want to be. I want to be competing in the long run for majors and stuff like that. It's about taking my time. I'm only just 21 as well and that's something everyone keeps telling me."
Kjeldsen, who turned professional the year after Fitzpatrick was born, continued his sparkling run of form as he returned a solid three-under 68 which included a run of four birdies in six holes from the first.
Fitzpatrick and the veteran Dane enjoy a one-shot lead over English journeyman Richard Bland, who recovered from bogeys at the first two holes with five birdies and an eagle at the 11th in his second consecutive 67.
The 42-year-old's performance was all the more remarkable considering he required treatment on a back injury during his round. "I was struggling to release the club," he said. "I wasn't really going at it that hard. I managed to pitch in from about 55 yards on 11 and then I was getting treatment on the next tee; I was stripped off and getting a back rub.
Bland injured
"I had some painkillers which have kind of helped a little bit. It was a little bit uncomfortable walking around and not being able to fully go into shots because I'm protecting it a little bit."
Bland was joined on eight under late in the day by the powerful Kiradech Aphibarnrat, who also matched his opening 67 when he rolled in his sixth birdie of the day at the last.
WGC-Bridgestone Invitational champion Shane Lowry, the highest-ranked player in the tournament at 21, fired a solid three-birdie 69 to move smoothly to seven under alongside Robert Karlsson and Bradley Dredge.
Scotland's Marc Warren and English duo Andy Sullivan and Lee Slattery are well in contention for the weekend on six under, with David Howell and Ryder Cup star Graeme McDowell a further shot adrift.
Tournament host Ian Poulter suffered a dreaded shank from the rough as he ran up a double-bogey at the fifth and he dropped another shot at the next, but the Woburn member hit back with birdies at seven, 12 and 16 to salvage a 70 which got him to four under.
