BMW PGA Championship: Shane Lowry and Matt Fitzpatrick Free a Shot

Fitzpatrick had seven birdies and an eagle in the second round -12 S Lowry (Ire), M Fitzpatrick (Eng); -11 T Hatton (Eng); -9 V Perez (Fra); -8 A Arnaus (Spa), G Forrest (Sco), JB Hansen (Den); -7 E Pepperell (Eng), S Hend (Aus) Selected others: -6 P Reed (USA); -5 T Fleetwood (Eng), I Poulter (Eng), A Johnston (Eng); -2 D Willett (Eng); -1 J Rose (Eng), G McDowell (NI)

Open Champion Shane Lowry and Ryder Cup player Matt Fitzpatrick share the lead mid-stage of the BMW PGA Championship in Wentworth.

The Irishman and the Englishman both had a seven under 65 card to get to 12 under.

In cool afternoon conditions, joint nocturnal leader Tyrrell Hatton added a 67 to his opening 66 to sit 11 under.

World number nine Patrick Reed & # 39; s 68 let him down six, Tommy Fleetwood is one further back after a 68, but Justin Rose slipped to one bottom with a 75.

Fitzpatrick, one of the first on the first day, started his round from the ninth and followed a birdie on the second by getting out of a bunker for another on the third, before taking off from the hacking an eagle back of the fourth green.

At nine down for his round with two more to play, the world's number 20 watched Alex Noren & # 39; s track record of 62 as well as Paul McGinley & # 39; s 2008 best of 13 under tournament for lowest opening 36 holes, but he found water with his approach to his last hole and took a double bogey.

Runner-up 2014 Lowry, who decided to play in this year's event only on Sunday, wielded an old putter he "knocked out of the closet" on Monday with good result when he took the last bird flight from 9 meters.

World number 15 Hatton dropped a shot in his opening but snapped in from the edge grass on the 15th and birdie the last two par fives.

Playing partner Reed, the leader of the Race to Dubai, failed to birdie one of the last two holes and is tied for 10th.

Ian Poulter, bothered by back cramps on the first day, rode the 18th to second cond day running but dropped three shots in his last two holes and is five under.

A chilly afternoon with regular showers made it more difficult to score for the later starters on the West Course, but Grant Forrest posted six birdies in the eight-hole space while his 67 took him to eight.

Defending champion Danny Willett returned a second consecutive time 71, while Northern Ireland's Graeme McDowell was last in a birdie to reach an under and ensure his participation for the weekend .

David Howell of England, the 2006 Champion, made a hole-in-one on the 14th in the morning sun when his seven iron jumped from 184 meters before finding the cup.