Justin Walters kept himself in contention in the Betfred British Masters hosted by Danny Willett on Friday as he carded a second-round two-under-par 70 to move to six-under for the tournament and a share of sixth.
Walters made six birdies in his round, but four bogeys stopped him ascending all the way to the top of the leaderboard. He was three shots off the lead which was held at nine-under by England’s Hurly Long. Long had five birdies and a bogey on the front nine after he started on 10 and played all the way to the turn in level-par with no birdies or bogeys. He led by one from Scot Richie Ramsay, round one leader Thorbjorn Olesen of Denmark and Markus Kinhult of Sweden.
Walters was joined in sixth by tournament host Willett, who had the round of the day with his seven-under 65. That included a bogey on the ninth, his last hole for the round.
Next best of the South Africans who made the weekend was George Coetzee, who signed for a two-under 70 to move to three-under and a share of 19th. Thriston Lawrence also had a second-round 70, moving to two-under and a share of 27th.
Brandon Stone battled to a three-under 75 after his superb opening four-under, and he was in a share of 37th on one-under together with JC Ritchie who had a two-under 70. Also on one-under were Daniel van Tonder after a 72 and Justin Harding who had a 73.
Zander Lombard, Oliver Bekker and Richard Sterne made the cut on level-par for the tournament.
Hennie du Plessis missed the cut after a one-over 73, as did Darren Fichardt who had a level-par 72 to stay at four-over for the tournament. Dean Burmester was on five-over after a 74 and Haydn Porteous finished on 11-over after a 78.
