Wallace charges into four-shot lead in Crans Montana

Matt Wallace carded the lowest round of the week to take total control and open up a four-shot lead at the Omega European Masters.

The Englishman endured the worst of the weather conditions on Thursday, but still managed to get through with a blemish-free 64 to sit one adrift of leading duo Alex Fitzpatrick and Spaniard Alfredo Garcia-Heredia.

In warmer and more favourable conditions on Friday at Crans Montana, Wallace enjoyed five birdies during a front nine of 30 before adding another hat-trick of gains to reach the halfway point at 14 under par following a brilliant second round of 62.

He is the only player in the field yet to drop a single shot through 36 holes as he targets his first DP World Tour title in six years, with Fitzpatrick proving to be his closest rival at ten under.

"I'm swinging it nice, hitting it good and hopefully carry that on into the weekend. It's going to sound crazy, but I missed a few chances, I really did," Wallace said. "The putter didn't really let me down, but I tried to be aggressive with the wedges, didn't really pull (it) off and then I was grinding in those areas.

"But that one on 16 was my hole of the day really because playing those par fives pretty good and missing that putt for eagle, but that par-three was really special - it was a great iron shot into the perfect spot and then the perfect putt so a lot of confidence taken from that.

"It is a golf competition at the end of the day and I love getting into competition, but I want to get away from the competition as much as possible so playing like that today helps and go again tomorrow."

Another Englishman was in contention with Jordan Smith recording a second-round 65 to sit alongside Sweden's Henrik Norlander at nine under.

Andrew Johnston, Garcia-Heredia and German Nicolai von Dellingshausen were one shot further back, while Eddie Pepperell and Australia's Jason Scrivener are at seven under.

How it stands heading into the weekend 📊#OEM2024

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