Queenslander Billy Dowling is just five strokes off the lead as he led a trio of Aussies past the cut-line at the Brabazon Trophy in England.

The English Men's Open Amateur Stroke Play Championship dates back to 1947 with an honour roll that boasts Sandy Lyle, Ronan Rafferty and Charl Schwartzel.

It is a championship no Australian has ever won, Steve Allan (1996), Geoff Ogilvy (1997) and Cam Davis (2016) each finishing runner-up.

Dowling remains in the mix to end the Aussie drought courtesy of a round of 1-under 70 in Round 2 at Hankley Common Golf Club to trail English 36-hole co-leaders Eliot Baker and Tom Hughes by five strokes.

Even par after day one, Dowling began Round 2 with a birdie at the par-4 first before dropping a shot at the par-4 third.

He turned 1-under on the back of a birdie at the par-4 ninth and then had two bogeys and two birdies on the back nine to be 1-under through two rounds and in a tie for 12th.

Also flying the Aussie flag into the weekend are New South Welshman Kayun Mudadana and Victoria Abel Eduard.

Mudadana had five birdies in his opening round of 1-over 72 and then parred his final four holes to shoot 3-over 74 in Round 2 to be tied for 43rd heading into Round 3.

After finishing his second round with back-to-back bogeys for a round of 2-over 73, Eduard had a nervous wait before confirmation that his 5-over total was good enough to make the cut on the number.

Three-over Round 1, Yarra Yarra Golf Club’s Max Moring shot 75 in Round 2 to miss the cut by two.

Brabazon Trophy scores