• PGA Championship, Round Two

Donald surges ahead at Wentworth

Luke Donald put himself in the hunt for the title after an excellent two rounds © Getty Images

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Luke Donald holds a one-shot lead at the halfway point after a terrific display of target golf at the PGA Championship at Wentworth.

The Englishman compiled a fine 68 on the opening day and repeated the feat to move up to six-under heading into the weekend. Donald's only bogey in 36 holes came with a sloppy three-putt at 12, but he responded by rolling in an excellent birdie on 17 to move up to six-under.

"It was a little more consistent throughout the day," Donald told Sky Sports in reference to his opening round. "I got off to a good start and was in control, but played a couple of loose shots coming in. It is a tricky course, there are some tough holes coming in.

"There are a few pins tucked away. They are tucked in some tricky places, but if you play good shots then they feed to it.

"It is a test. You have to drive it well and think well and if you want to be aggressive, you have to be spot on."

Defending champion Paul Casey made a second-round surge to move firmly into contention. An opening-day 70 built a platform and the world No. 8 fired five birdies on the back nine to move up to four-under-par. Bogeys on 15 and 17 checked his momentum, but an excellent four on the 18th saw him card a 68.

"I was in between moving up or missing the cut," Casey said. "With this golf course as it is now it is very easy to fall away.

"I hit some very good shots but didn't make any birdies on the front nine. I left one short on six and the three-putt bogey on seven hurt me. Maybe all of that sparked me - I had to get aggressive and I hit some more birdies so it paid off."

Ross Fisher looks set for another strong showing around the Surrey course after moving into a share of second place with a steady one-under round of 70. Fellow Englishman Danny Willett did not enjoy such a consistent day. Willett shot a course-record 65 in the first round to grab the lead and was eight-under by the turn. A series of errors on the back nine spoilt a promising card though as he dropped to second with a one-over round that included five bogeys and four birdies.

Danny Willett made it to eight-under-par by the turn but slipped back to five-under and a share of second © Getty Images

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Chris Wood has been tipped to make a big splash in the near future and he is firmly in contention alongside Casey at four-under after a round of 68, while Ryder Cup captain Colin Montgomerie will be at Wentworth for the weekend after moving to even-par after a round of 69.

Padraig Harrington and Fredrik Andersson Hed join Casey and Wood in a four-way tie for fifth. Harrington followed up a solid level-par opening round with a bogey-free second round of 67 and will be confident of a good weekend after showing something like his old form with the putter.

Ernie Els is a further shot back. The South African narrowly missed out on eagling the 18th as he kept himself firmly in the hunt with a tidy second-round 70 to move to three-under. Matteo Manassero can look forward to the weekend after shooting a one-under second-round 70 to trail Donald by five shots.

Rory McIlroy went some way to repairing the bad work of Thursday with a round of 69 to sit on one-over - a total that should be enough to get him in for the weekend. A similar comment applies to Justin Rose who knocked in three birdies and a solitary bogey to climb to one-over.

World No. 3 Lee Westwood endured a mixed day on the West Course, as four bogeys on the front nine put him over par before he came back strong with birdies on 11 and 14. However, his round went off the rails with a triple-bogey seven on the 15th that took him back to two-over following a round of 74.

Ian Poulter, Martin Kaymer and Miguel Angel Jimenez all missed the cut, which fell at four-under-par.

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