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Stenson takes 3 shot lead into weekend

Sweden's Henrik Stenson carded a four-under 68 on Friday to take a three-shot lead at 10-under 134 after two rounds of the International Open at the Brabazon Course at The De Vere Belfry.

Thomas Bjorn is alone in second at seven-under while Desvonde Botes (69), first-round co-leader Paul McGinley (72) and European Ryder Cup captain Sam Torrance (70) are tied at minus-six.

Stenson began his round on the back nine and opened with a birdie at 10. He parred his next six before he collected his second birdie in as many days at the par-five 17th.

The 25-year-old Order of Merit champion from the 2000 European Challenge Tour caught fire on his second nine. He posted four birdies in a row from the first to grab a five-shot lead over the field.

That margin did not last long as Stenson found trouble off the tee at six. He hit an iron off the tee but landed in rocks near the water and was forced to drop in the fairway. Stenson played his third shot nine feet from the hole but missed the save to drop to 11-under. The next hole was no better for Stenson as he failed to convert a six-foot par save.

"I’m very pleased with my round today as I was yesterday," said Stenson, whose best finish so far this season was a tie for 27th at the Portuguese Open. "My putter worked well again and I am excited because I think I have a nice weekend ahead of me."

Stenson's two best rounds as a member of the European Tour have put him in the final group for the first time on tour.

"I think you are always going to be a little tense going into the weekend as leader but that is a good thing," said Stenson. "I hope I am a little nervous because if you are not it means you are not fired up as you should be. I hope I feel some butterflies in my stomach before I set off."

Bjorn birdied his first hole, the 10th, but dropped a shot at 12. He rebounded with two birdies in his final three holes on the front for a 32.

Bjorn rattled off three birdies in a four-hole span in the middle on hisse he has bogeyed both days so far this week.

"I’m still hitting a few loose ones but my good shots have been so good that I have been able to score well and make up for the bad ones," said Bjorn, who shot a four-under 68 on Friday.

David Howell, Jarrod Moseley, Jose Rivero, Retief Goosen and Russell Claydon are five shots back at five-under 139.

Lee Westwood rebounded from an opening-round 73 with a 68 on Friday and is now tied for 17th at three-under par.

Defending champion Jose Maria Olazabal struggled in the second round with a three-over 75 and is tied for 30th. Olazabal, who was alone in third after the first round, is joined at two-under with Colin Montgomerie, who carded a three-under 69 on Friday.

While Torrance is in good position heading into the weekend, his American counterpart is not. United States Ryder Cup captain Curtis Strange missed the 36-hole cut, which fell at plus-one, by six shots. However, with the Ryder Cup matches being contested at the Belfry in September, the week was not a total loss for Strange.

"It’s been very useful coming over here, how much I suppose I will find out on September 30," said Strange. "I felt I reacquainted myself with the golf course and with some of the new holes and gave me a knowledge of the golf course."

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