R2 LEADERBOARD -12 L Donald, B Rumford (Aus) -11 A Cabrera (Arg), S Khan -10 R-J Derksen (Ned), B Dredge, R Gonzalez (Arg), D Howell -9 D Carter, M Erlandsson (Swe), S Gallacher, J Lomas (GB&I unless stated)

The Englishman's 12-under total of 132 placed him alongside early clubhouse leader Brett Rumford of Australia.

"It was one of those fun days to play golf, an easy-going round where I never got in much trouble," said Donald.

Simon Khan and Angel Cabrera are a shot behind, while David Howell is one of four players on 10 under.

"It was a frustrating way to finish but I was lucky my second shot bounced over the ditch so I suppose it evens out," said Howell, who three-putted the par five ninth, his closing hole.

"I played really nicely and gave myself lots of chances but didn't take many of them.

"If I can just turn it up a little notch over the weekend I should be in good shape."

The ambition this week was to qualify for the Match Play David Howell

Howell is playing only his third event since suffering an abdominal injury at the US Open in June.

He missed the cut at the USPGA, but finished sixth in the NEC Invitational in Akron last week.

The Swindon golfer is trying to secure one of the last two qualifying places for next month's HSBC World Match Play championship.

Howell will seal his place in the 16-man Wentworth field with a top-10 finish here, even if Ian Poulter - three off the lead on nine under - wins on Sunday.

"The ambition this week was to qualify for the Match Play and things are going well on that front," added the 30-year-old.

"Then the Ryder Cup points start next week and that is going to be my main aim.

"Hopefully I can do it in the best possible way by winning tournaments and I'm fully aware there are some big ones coming up. That is why getting in the Match Play is a lovely bonus."

Poulter said it was "pathetic" that money won at Wentworth - an elite-field event - counts towards the Ryder Cup.

But Howell said: "Not all the money counts (only the first �400,000 counts) but it is still a head start on a lot of the guys.

"I'm sure if I manage to win two or three matches I won't be knocking it. We golfers are all like that. If we're involved we think it's great, if we're not we think it's terrible."

There was less joy for veterans Nick Faldo, Ryder Cup captain Ian Woosnam and Argentina's Eduardo Romero, who all failed to make the cut.