Muntz & Gronberg share halfway lead

Mathais Gronberg acknowledges the applause after the best round of the day. Allsport.

Dutchman Rolf Muntz, who is chasing his first win on the European Tour, grabbed a share of the halfway lead in the Qatar Masters with Sweden's Mathias Gronberg on Friday.

Gronberg shot a two-under-par 70 in the face of a fierce wind whipping in off the desert while Muntz, the 1990 British Amateur champion in his sixth year on the Tour, had a 73. They are both on three-under-par 141.

The joint leaders have a one-stroke advantage over Ireland's Paul McGinley, who matched Gronberg's 70.

Last year's joint runner-up in Qatar, Dane Soren Kjeldsen, and in-form Briton Russell Claydon are a further stroke back. These five were the only players to break par in the demanding conditions.

Gronberg collected three birdies going out and important saves as the wind howled around him, providing the cushion for coming home as he mixed in two bogeys before collecting a final birdie on the 16th.

Muntz is trying to achieve the potential expected of him after he turned professional following his British Amateur Championship win.

The Dutchman has often challenged but has only two second places to show so far, one of them in last year's Scottish PGA Championship, a tournament co-sanctioned by the European Challenge Tour.

"My game is getting there and I'm happy with this position. I've been here before and it hasn't quite come off, but it will one day," Muntz said.

"I couldn't have got any closer to winning than losing a playoff for the Scottish PGA to Warren Bennett and I had a couple of chances to contend in the last year.

"I came into this season hoping I'd get a couple more. My first chance has come early."

Overnight leader Peter Lonard of Australia crashed to a 78 to slide four strokes off the lead on 145.

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