Overnight leader Matthew Fitzpatrick kept hold of a share of top spot early on day two of the British Masters supported by Sky Sports but was joined by some of The European Tour's most experienced names.
Fitzpatrick, 21, is playing in just his 34th European Tour event this week as the British Masters returns for the first time since 2008 and he made the turn in level par to stay at seven under after an opening 64.
But he was joined at the top of the leaderboard by Robert Karlsson, Søren Kjeldsen and Bradley Dredge, three men who have 17 European Tour wins between them.
Fitzpatrick picked up where he had left off the previous evening as he birdied 10th to make it three in a row but then failed to take advantage of the par five 11th as he gave the shot back.
He then steadied the ship with three pars but another birdie followed on the 15th before, for the third time this week, he followed a gain with a bogey as he three-putted the 16th.
Birdies on the 12th and 15th had sent Karlsson to the top on his own but, just as he did on Thursday, he bogeyed the 18th - this time after hitting a greenside tree - and dropped back to seven under.
Kjeldsen was level par for his round through 11 holes but then sank a sensational bunker shot on the third to get back into red numbers and also share the lead after 12 holes.
Dredge had bogeyed the third but a run of three gains from the fourth got him into a share of the lead, one shot clear of World Golf Championships - Bridgestone Invitational champion Shane Lowry.
The Irishman had a single birdie on the 12th to get to six under through 10 holes alongside late starters Marc Warren and Lee Slattery.
Nicolas Colsaerts was making a move at five under after picking up three shots in his opening seven holes while Robert Rock was five under through 12 on the day to sit a shot further back.
