JOHN Bickerton is well placed going into today's third round of the British Masters at the Forest of Arden.

The Droitwich ace lies one over after shooting a 73 yesterday following his first-day 72.

Hereford's David Park, however, failed to build on his first day's par as he recorded a 77 yesterday to leave him five over for the tournament.

A two-shot penalty cost Eduardo Romero the halfway lead and damaged his hopes of becoming the European tour's oldest-ever winner.

The 49-year-old from Argentina went from one ahead of Swede Patrik Sjoland to one behind when chief referee John Paramor ruled against him after an incident on the 14th green.

So instead it is former Irish Open champion Sjoland, 114th on this season's Order of Merit, on 10 under par who heads the field going into the third round of the £1.6million tournament.

The 32-year-old had seven birdies in a 65, a score equalled by Lee Westwood as he chases a third win in nine months -- and that after slumping outside the world's top 250.