HATTON LEADS ENGLISH CHARGE

PAUL LAWRIE was quick to have a mischievous dig on Twitter when he discovered that all the players plastered on promotional billboards for the British Masters just happened to be English. Yet even Scotland’s proud major champion would have to concede that, at the halfway point, they’re the men who have delivered. While the Masters champion Sergio Garcia missed the cut and Rory McIlroy made it with little to spare after a low-key 69, it was Tyrrell Hatton, Ian Poulter and tournament host Lee Westwood who thrilled another bumper crowd at Close House, near Newcastle, yesterday, together with local hero Graeme Storm. With the defence of his Dunhill Links title to come next week, the impressive Hatton looks in the mood to head north with another trophy under his arm after assuming a three-stroke lead. Then come Poulter and Westwood, part of a five-way logjam for second place that also includes two more Englishmen in Ashley Chesters from Shropshire and Yorkshireman Chris Hanson. Westwood and Poulter are both seeking to end long victory droughts. The former has not won in Europe for five years and the latter has not won anywhere during the same period. Just one shot further behind are two more Englishmen, Storm and Lee Slattery, making it an astonishing seven players from the host nation in the top nine. While Poulter’s 65 was a nice present to himself on the occasion of his tenth wedding anniversary, Westwood’s display over the first two days was remarkable given all the duties he’s been carrying out as host. Now 44, he lives these days down the road from Close House, where he plays a lot of social golf. The sister of his girlfriend Helen Storey is married to course owner, Graham Wylie. Local knowledge has certainly come in handy on the undulating greens, as Westwood completed 36 holes without a single bogey.