Day two digest: Betfred British Masters hosted by Danny Willett

Everything you need to know from day two at The Belfry.

Bob got a flier, Bland was eyeing the biggest of wins, Eddie was keeping busy and Kaymer brought up a milestone on day two of the 2021 Betfred British Masters hosted by Danny Willett.

Here is everything you need to know from Thursday at The Belfry.

Bob starts and finishes strong

We have had a few 59 Watches in the past few weeks but absolutely nobody was expecting one at The Belfry. When Robert MacIntyre started his round with five birdies, the almost impossible became the very, very highly improbable and the Scot could not maintain his pace as he dropped shots at the sixth and 12th. He was not deterred, however, and a birdie birdie finish helped him to seven under and a share of the lead with Calum Hill and Richard Bland. “I was in free flow,” MacIntyre said of his flying start. “I hit a couple close but the putter was working. For me it felt beautiful. That could have been a crazy score. I still missed quite a few chances but that’s golf. If I can shoot 66-66 at the weekend playing like that you would take that."

Bogey free Bland looking to end drought

Bland revealed on Thursday that he has just under two years to claim his first European Tour win. The 48-year-old made it 36 bogey free holes to get to seven under in his 478th start, a tally that puts him third all time on the list of appearance makers without a victory to their name. That is not to say the two time Qualifying School and four time European Challenge Tour graduate has not enjoyed a fine career, but he would love to get over the line before a planned move into seniors golf in 2022. “It would mean everything, especially at my age,” he said. "I’m already looking ahead. I can go to the Champions Tour Qualifying at the end of next year which I plan to do. Of course we’re all here to win and if I could do that at such an iconic event as the British Masters, that would be all your Christmases coming at once I think." There would not be a more popular winner.

Pepperell happy to be keeping busy

Eddie Pepperell won this event in 2018, his second victory of that season as he finished in the top 15 on Race to Dubai Rankings in Partnership with Rolex. He would be the first to admit that he has not been at his brilliant best since then but he thinks he has found the way to get back to the winner's circle. "I just played a bit more," he said. "I went to the Canaries with that in mind, that’s the reason why I asked Jen to caddie for me - to keep me out there for three weeks because I knew I needed to expose myself a little more to the golf course and, frankly, get back into the feedback loop you get when you play more competitive golf. I’m clearly useless when I don’t play frequently. When I do play quite often I tend to learn a bit, figure it out and go on a bit of a run." After rounds of 70-68, the Englishman is looking anything but useless.

300 up for Kaymer

Martin Kaymer is making his 300th European Tour appearance this week. The previous 299 have brought 11 wins - two of them Major Championships - and a Race to Dubai title. Add in victories on the US PGA Tour, a spell at World Number One and that putt at Medinah, and it's been quite a career at just 36. Here's to many more.

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