Westwood maintains two shot advantage

Lee Westwood held off the charge of fellow Englishman Barry Lane to hold onto his two-shot overnight lead following a second round 67 in the Scandinavian Masters.

The Worksop-born player, who shot a 63 in his opening round, heads the field on 12-under-par at the half-way stage as later starters were unable to eat into the 27-year-old's lead.

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.

Darren Clarke moved menacingly up the leaderboard to set up a potential head-to-head clash on Sunday with his close friend Westwood after firing a seven-under-par 66.

Both have aspirations over overhauling Ernie Els at the top of the Order of Merit.

Westwood, who started at the 10th hole, carded three birdies and one bogey and also eagled the par five fifth for the second day running in his 67.

"If you'd given me 67 before the start I'd probably have taken it, because I knew my first five holes would be very tough and birdies hard to come by.

"It's never easy after you've had a round like yesterday with seven birdies and an eagle.

"You'd think you would at least make a couple of birdies early on but the first five holes on the back nine are not like that, they're very difficult.

"I was quite happy to get out a couple under although 66 would have been a fair score if I had two putted the last from 50 feet."

Lane showed a glimpse of a return to form as he matched Westwood's first-day 63 with eight birdies and no bogeys. He chipped in from 20 yards for his first birdie on the third and holed a bunker shot on the 13th.

The 40-year-old hasn’t been in the winner's circle since claiming the prestigious Million Pound Andersen Consulting World Championship in 1995.

With just one top 20 finish this season, the 1993 Ryder Cup player has admitted he is enjoying his golf once again. "I just decided to change my attitude," explained Lane who was in the first group out on Friday.

"There was absolutely nothing wrong with my golf and never has been but my attitude has not been good. When I was playing well I did not worry about the bad rounds but it started to get to me and I was trying too hard."

Lane also praised the support he has received from French wife Stephanie, who is expecting their child in October.

"My wife travelled with me every day for five years and it was hard since she stopped but she kept telling me to enjoy myself.

"If you hit a bad shot you hit a bad shot. You just have to find it and hit it again. If you've hit it there's nothing you can do.

"People are out there paying to money to see you enjoy yourself. It's not too serious, it's not the end of the world. I've had a good laugh out there the first two days and that's what it's all about."

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