EDDIE Pepperell stayed near the top of the field at the BMW PGA Championship with an assured second round.

The golfer from Abingdon had five birdies and three bogeys to sign for a two-under par round of 70 at Wentworth.

A seven-under par total put him in a share of fourth place, six shots behind leader Matthew Fitzpatrick midway through day two in Surrey.

Beginning the day one shot off the lead after a 67 on Thursday, Pepperell was among the early starters.

Teeing off from the ninth, he dropped a shot on the 11th but hit back immediately with a birdie at the following hole.

He claimed a birdie at the par-three 14th and was two-under for his round with another at the 18th.

Back-to-back bogeys at the second and third saw the 29-year-old slip down the leaderboard.

But the slide was brief, with successive birdies at the fourth and fifth – matching his efforts in the opening round - got Pepperell back among the front runners again.