Eddie Pepperell will take a three-shot lead into the weekend at the Sky Sports British Masters after firing a 69 on a devilishly difficult day at Walton Heath Golf Club.
High winds meant scoring was high on the outskirts of London and Englishman Pepperell put on a masterclass around the greens to get to eight under and lead the way from countryman Matt Wallace.
Frenchman Julien Guerrier was also at five under but he had three holes to complete after play was suspended due to darkness for the second day in a row.
England’s Jordan Smith was then at four under, a shot clear of a group of five players.
Pepperell had to go to the Qualifying School after losing his playing privileges in 2016 but is enjoying a breakout season, winning his first European Tour title at the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters.
The World No 50 has finished in the top 10 in five of his last eight events and carried that momentum on to home soil in the face of a tough test in Surrey.
‘It’s a great spot,’ he said. ‘I felt very comfortable. Frankly I feel like I’m not hitting the ball that well, really. I feel like there’s a lot more for me in terms of that department. Clearly I’ve putted well and I’ve thought my short game has been good. I’ve hung in there in tough conditions over 36 holes.
‘I’m hoping to spend a little bit of time on the range and I’m hoping this weekend for my swing to feel a little more comfortable and then I can play some shots and take even more to the golf course because I’m pretty happy with where the rest of the game is at.’
Pepperell birdied the 11th and holed an 18-foot left-to-righter on the 14th before he made a first bogey of the day on the next but hit an approach to six feet on the 18th.
The 27-year-old did well to save par on the 2nd after finding some nasty heather off the tee and chipped in at the 3rd to lead by three from Wallace who was yet to tee off.
A three-putt from Pepperell on the 7th saw the lead cut to two but a stunning approach to the 8th re-established his cushion as he set the target at eight under.
Wallace started his round with a par but holed from nearly 100 feet on the 2nd to quickly cut the lead to two. Bogeys on the 3rd and 5th meant Pepperell led by four but Smith set about trimming his advantage in spectacular style.
After bogeying the 6th, he was eight shots off the lead but he holed a long putt on the 8th, put his tee shot to three feet on the par-three 9th and then holed another long putt on the 10th. An excellent second set up an eagle on the par-five 11th and yet another putt from outside 20 feet on the 12th meant he was just two back and the nearest challenger.
Wallace was alongside him after he drove the 10th and took advantage of the 11th for back-to-back birdies but a bogey on the next dropped him back.
Smith’s incredible run ended with a par on the 13th and he missed the green on the next and failed to get up-and-down to leave Pepperell three ahead.
Wallace holed a putt with a massive left-to-right break on the 15th but three-putted the next as Smith also made a three-putt on the 17th to drop four off the lead.
That left him a shot behind Guerrier, who had quietly gone about his business with birdies on the 11th, 17th and 1st.
Dane Lucas Bjerregaard was among those five back after he signed for a 67 that was the lowest round of the day so far. Last week’s winner went birdie-bogey on the 11th and 12th before pitching his second on the par-four 15th straight into the hole for an eagle and making further birdies on the 2nd, 5th and 7th.
England’s Sam Horsfield fired a 70 to sit at three under alongside countrymen Ross Fisher and Andy Sullivan, who got round in level par, with American Julian Suri completing the group five off the lead after a 71.
Shane Lowry made the 34th hole-in-one of the season and second of the week as he holed an 8-iron from 170 yards on the 5th, the ball pitching next to the flag and taking one bounce into the hole.
