Lee Westwood continued his impressive warm up to the USPGA Championship by holding on to his lead in the £1 million Scandinavian Masters. The world number five two clear overnight added a second-round 67 to his opening 63 for a 12-under-par halfway total of 130 at Kungsangen,in his last event before heading to Valhalla for the final Major of the year.
That was good enough to maintain his cushion over the rest of the field with compatriot Barry Lane the surprise name heading the chasing pack. Holland's Maarten Lafeber was a shot behind Lane on nine under after a 66 with Australian John Senden another stroke adrift following a fine 64.
Westwood's stablemate Darren Clarke could provide the biggest threat over the weekend.The Ulsterman, battling it out with his close friend to overhaul Ernie Els at the top of the Order of Merit, is on seven under after a 66. Lane, who started six shots off the pace after an opening 69, matched Westwood's first-day 63 with eight birdies and no dropped shots to be just two adrift and signal a return to the sort of form that brought him a Ryder Cup place in 1993.
The 40-year-old who has won four times on the European Tour and won 1 million US dollars at the Andersen Consulting World Championship in 1995, but has not tasted victory since and has had just one top 20 finish this season. Clarke is best of the Irish, five behind Westwood after a impressive 66 with Kilkenny's Gary Murphy on 2 under after a second round 68 to make his first cut in five outings.Des Smyth had stuggled on the front nine but a late surge helped him make the cut following a 70 ,to complete an Irish full house for the weekend. Home favourite Jesper Parnevik, seeking a hat-trick of titles,is one further back after a 69 while Ryder Cup new vice-captain Ian Woosnam just made the cut on one over following a 71.
