Robert Rock on a roll as he climbs leaderboard

After ending the opening day of the competition at Close House in Northumberland with a double-bogey to slip to two under, Rock from Armitage, near Rugeley, bounced back in style with a flawless five under 66 on day two.

Rock’s impressive effort left him tied for 10th, four shots behind the leader, Italy’s Renato Paratore.

The 43-year-old, who has two European Tour triumphs to his name – the BMW Italian Open in 2011 and the 2012 Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship, started his second round with a par before picking up a birdie at the second hole and then reeling off eight successive pars to reach the turn on three under.

Rock then hit form on the back nine as he picked up birdies at the 10th, 13th, 15th and 17th.

Wolverhampton’s Aaron Rai, who also carded a 69 on the first day of the tournament, is tied for 35th following a second round 70.

Rai endured an up and down day that brought five birdies and four bogeys.

At the top of the leaderboard, former courier Dale Whitnell is in position to deliver a life-changing victory after a brilliant second round.

Whitnell fired an eagle and five birdies in a flawless 64 to finish 10 under par, a shot behind Italy’s Renato Paratore.

The 31-year-old from Colchester played on the 2009 Walker Cup team alongside Tommy Fleetwood but struggled to establish himself in the professional ranks and was forced to take on a courier job for 10 months to make ends meet.

The first prize of £187,000 and two-year European Tour exemption would be life-changing but Whitnell added: “I try not to think about it, but it can be.

“Two-and-a-half years ago I went and got a job, I was a courier driver, just to finance my year playing on the mini tours.

“Financially it just wasn’t viable, I couldn’t carry on, so I got a job to pay for it and the rest is history I suppose.”

Shropshire’s Ashley Chesters maintained his impressive return to action by following up his opening day 67 with an impressive round of 66 to finish tied fourth, two shots off the lead.

The Hawkstone Park ace will tee-off today with designs on keeping himself in the hunt for a first European Tour success.

He made a superb start yesterday with birdies at the first, third and fifth holes. Further birdies followed at the 10th, 16th and 17th and not even a bogey at the last – his first dropped shot in two days – could take the gloss off a fine performance from the 30-year-old.

Tournament host and club member Lee Westwood was in danger of making an early exit after a double bogey on the first, but the 47-year-old fought back to shoot 71 and make the cut on the mark of one under.