Fasth holds on to narrow halfway lead

Niclas Fasth holds a one shot lead after the second round at the Madeira Open. Allsport.

Sweden's Niclas Fasth rallied towards the end of his Madeira Island Open second round to hang on to a one-shot lead over surging Spaniard Diego Borrego.

Fasth had been troubled by sore legs on Thursday after an afternoon hiking around the mountain at Santo da Serra but he quickly forgot his troubles when birdies came along in his opening 66, earning him a two-stroke lead. came on the course when an early double bogey saw him slide off the top of the leaderboard.

It took three birdies in the last seven holes, sandwiched around a bogey, for him to climb back on top with half the field still to complete their second rounds.

A level-par 72 for 138 earned him a one-shot lead over Borrego who posted 67 with four birdies on his back nine.

"My legs were not aching so much but my head did ache when I took the double bogey," said Fasth. "It wasn't a very good round and I missed fairways all the time.

"But that was my bad round today and I feel very confident. I will be in contention over the weekend and playing much better on the back nine today has given me confidence.

"I've been working on my game for so many years I will definitely be a good player. I will win. If it happens this week then great, but I'm a patient man."

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