Rasmus Hojgaard remains well-placed to overtake Shane Lowry for the final Ryder Cup automatic qualification slot after a second 70 sees the Dane four shots off the lead at the halfway stage of the British Masters.
European Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald will confirm his team, including his six captain's picks on Monday week, with Lowry currently occupying the final automatic position.
The Offaly man powered back into the reckoning at the Tour Championship with a superb second round 63 that included the longest ever putt in the FedEx Cup playoffs, but crucially, there are no Ryder Cup points at stake at East Lake.
It means 2024 Irish Open champion Hojgaard only needs to finish tied-29th or better at the Belfry this weekend to jump above Lowry and secure his ticket to New York.
A two-under par round of 70 sees him in a tie for eighth and four shots off the pace set by German Marcel Siem.
Siem began the day in a four-way tie at the top but soon led on his own after making a lightning-quick start that featured an eagle and three birdies in his first eight holes.
Siem eventually signed for a second-round 69 to move to nine under par and sit one clear of Matt Fitzpatrick heading into the weekend.
But after dropping shots at the 18th, second and sixth holes, six-time DP World Tour winner Siem feels he could have gone even lower on Friday.
He said: "It was a great start. My ego took over a little on the back nine because I hit really good shots.
"On the 18th I got a bit unlucky with my drive, had a bad lie and missed the first short putt. Then on the first, I had two great shots. Misread that putt.
"On the second, I hit a great drive. I thought it was in the fairway. It bounced to the right apparently, pretty bad lie. Misread read that putt for par as well. Next hole as well.
"Then I finally hole one on the next, misread it again. Felt like I could have shot a bit lower today. So my ego took a bit over. That's why you didn't see me smiling.
"I will be smiling soon."
Ireland's Conor Purcell fell one stroke short of making the cut after an even par round 72 left him at one-over par for the tournament.
The Dubliner got to three-under par with an eagle and two birdies in his first four holes but this was swiftly cancelled out by a double-bogey and two bogeys in a three hole spell.
After steadying the ship on the back nine, Purcell was unable to find a birdie over the closing holes that would have garnered him a Saturday tee time.
