Friday 12 October 2018 14:23, UK
Tommy Fleetwood equalled his second-worst round of 2018 as the Ryder Cup marquee group struggled during the second round of the Sky Sports British Masters.
Fleetwood, playing alongside European team-mates Francesco Molinari and Thorbjorn Olesen, failed to register a birdie as he stuttered to a five-over 77 in windy conditions at Walton Heath.
The Englishman, making his 10th appearance in 12 weeks, began the day tied for the lead but quickly lost ground after following three consecutive bogeys from the 11th with another at the par-three 17th.
Reaching the turn in 40, Fleetwood fell within a shot of the cut mark after a blemish at the third but managed to avoid any further dropped shots over the closing stretch, with his round 10 shots worse than what he had signed for on the previous day.
The reigning European No 1's round matches the 77 he carded during the third round of the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth in May, with all three players in his group ending the day over par.
Molinari, who formed an unbeaten partnership with Fleetwood at Le Golf National and won all five of his matches, made it through to the weekend despite a second 73 in as many days.
The Italian opened with back-to-back birdies but gave them back with successive blemishes from the 13th, before failing to get up-and-down to save par at the 17th and three-putting the 18th.
A third consecutive bogey at the first was cancelled out by five-foot gains at the second and seventh to lift the Race to Dubai leader back to two over, while Olesen will miss the cut after following his opening-day 71 with a four-over 75.
Watch the Sky Sports British Masters throughout the weekend live on Sky Sports. Live coverage continues on Saturday from 11.30am on Sky Sports Golf.
