Trophee Hassan II

Canizares and Benson continue to lead the way in Morocco

ESPN staff

March 14, 2014

Alejandro Canizares and Seve Benson are setting the standard at the Trophee Hassan II © Getty Images

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Alejandro Canizares goes into the halfway stage of the Trophee Hassan II a shot clear of Seve Benson as the pair continued to impress after round two in Morocco.

Canizares and Benson were separated by one shot after Thursday's opening round at the Golf du Palais Royal and there was not much between them on day two as both carded four-under rounds of 68.

After carding 11 birdies in his first round of 62, Canizares started well with a birdie on the opening hole before immediately dropping back to par with a bogey at the second. He went out in an even-par 36 before finding his touch on the green with six birdies on his return to the clubhouse, although his run was broken up by two more dropped shots.

"I feel great; my game is definitely there so I just need to get in the groove again. If I don't overthink things and just let them happen, hopefully I will enjoy the weekend," Canizares told EuropeanTour.com.

"I felt really confident so I was not thinking too much, I needed to let the golf happen. In some cases my putter was a little cold today but I kept it going on the back nine.

"It was a pity I bogeyed the 17th because that is a birdie hole but overall I am very happy to be leading at the moment and very excited for the weekend."

Benson is the leading Brit in the field and sits 13-under for the tournament, one shot off the lead, following his round of 68. He enjoyed a flawless round on Thursday and almost repeated the same 24 hours later, dropping only one shot on his second visit.

"I managed to keep the momentum going early doors through the tough holes and once I got through those I could press on a bit," Benson said.

"There was no wind for the first eight or nine holes, which made it a totally different golf course compared to yesterday. It picked up a little on the back nine but nothing to what it was yesterday so it was a lot easier today."

The leading duo enjoy a healthy lead over the chasing field with Benson four shots ahead of third -placed Rafa Carbrera-Bello.

David Horsey made an eight-under 64 to move 47 places up the leaderboard into tied fourth, alongside Magnus A Carlsson and Connor Arendell. They sit six shots off the lead at eight-under-par.

Trophee Hassan II Leaderboard: