Ryan Evans made a solid start to his second round at the D+D REAL Czech Masters to maintain his one-shot overnight lead at Albatross Golf Resort.
The Englishman had birdied the last late on Thursday evening to establish his advantage at six under and five opening pars saw him keep that lead, although the chasing pack was growing.
Scott Jamieson had leapfrogged Evans with three opening birdies from the tenth but the Scot then made a double-bogey on the second to drop back to five under.
There he found himself next to Matthew Fitzpatrick, who is trying to seal his place in Darren Clarke's Ryder Cup Team. The 21 year old currently holds the final qualifying spot and he made birdies on the 16th and first to get within a shot of the lead.
David Howell has played on two victorious Ryder Cup Teams and, like Jamieson, he birdied the tenth, 11th and 12th to turn in 33 and get to five under.
Graeme Storm picked up a birdie in his first seven holes to complete the group out on course one shot behind the leader, with defending champion Thomas Pieters and Peter Hanson due out in the afternoon.
American Daniel Im was the form man of the morning, making six birdies in his first 13 holes to go with two bogeys as he got to four under.
Tommy Fleetwood was also in that group after picking up two shots in ten holes, alongside Australia's Daniel Gaunt, who had a single birdie in six holes.
