Faldo amongst the leaders at last

Faldo plays into the 18th on the way to sharing the halfway lead. Allsport.

Nick Faldo produced his best golf for years on Thursday to share a five-way lead as a windswept second round of the Loch Lomond Invitation tournament drew to a close.

Ernie Els posted an early four-under-par 67 to move to six-under, along with Australian Richard Green (67) and Swede Jarmo Sandelin (69) and as the wind rose nobody was able to overhaul them.

Faldo, in a round of 69 that showed glimpses of the form and concentration that brought him six majors, and Australian teenager Adam Scott (70) led the later charge, but the pair had to settle for six-under also.

Joint overnight leaders Notah Begay of the United Sates and Retief Goosen of South Africa both shot 72s to end on five-under with New Zealander Michael Campbell. Defending champion Colin Montgomerie finished four-under after a 68.

Some of the fastest greens on the European Tour combined with unpredictable Scottish weather to present the players with a stiff examination, particularly on Loch Lomond's own "Amen Corner" over holes 10 to 12.

A series of players stormed through the front nine only to be pegged back after the turn.

Els, out early, had the best of the conditions and made a flying start with an eagle three at the third and followed up with three birdies.

There was a blip at the par-three 17th where a bogey sucked the South African back into the six-under pack, but he was pleased with his round after a three-week break.

"I was still a bit rusty but my short game kept me in there," he said.

"It's getting harder out there and I can see most of the field making mistakes. Somewhere along the line this course his going to get you."

It certainly got to Sandelin, out in 31 after five birdies. He briefly reached nine-under but dropped three shots on 10 and 12 to end six-under.

Faldo's driving and iron play showed the consistency of old and the round was spoiled only by a bogey at 15 when he missed the green with his approach.

"It's great to be in contention again," said the Briton, who has not won a title for more than three years.

"I'm not fired up by the Mark James thing but just by being there. Maybe for one last time I can scare them. It's a long time since that happened."

Scott, the 19-year-old whose game and demeanour bears an uncanny similarity to Tiger Woods, played superbly and could have had sole possession of the lead but for a series of putts that missed by inches on the back nine.

Scott, Faldo and American Tom Lehman, who finished on five-under, played together in a tremendous three-ball with the Australian regularly out-driving the two former British Open champions by up to 40 yards

Montgomerie forced his way back into contention with four birdies on his front nine but a disastrous double-bogey after being plugged in a bunker at the par-three 11th brought the run to a crashing halt.

"I actually did well to get the ball out at all but with three putts it stopped the whole thing," said Montgomerie.

"A 68 was okay but it could and should have been better. I was a little unlucky out there and the putts just didn't drop."

World number two David Duval had a 73 for a one-over aggregate while fellow American Phil Mickleson shot 72 to end at two-under as they struggled to master the local conditions ahead of next week's British Open at St Andrews.

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