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Oldcorn leads after second 66

Scotland's Andrew Oldcorn fired 66 for the second straight day to grab the lead in Saturday's round of the Volvo PGA Championship at Wentworth Club's West Course. Oldcorn's two-day total of 12-under-par 132 tied the 36-hole tournament record and left him two shots clear of Stephen Leaney of Australia, Welshman Phillip Price and first-round leader Angel Cabrera of Argentina.

England's Steve Webster is alone in fifth at nine-under, one shot ahead of Dean Robertson of Scotland. Thomas Bjorn, who bested Tiger Woods to win the Dubai Desert Classic in March, is together with six players, including 1999 British Open champion Paul Lawrie, at minus-seven.

Three-time defending champion Colin Montgomerie, who said after his opening 73 he'd need at least a 65 on Saturday to claw back into contention, had to settle for a 69. He finished two rounds tied for 50th at two-under 142 with Ernie Els and Padraig Harrington.

"I needed something lower today and I'll need a much better finish because to be only one-under on the back nine here is really disappointing with three reachable par-fives," Montgomerie said. "I should be 10-under but I haven't really got the ball close enough and I just haven't scored properly over the first two days."

Oldcorn, who captured the second of his two European Tour titles at the 1995 Jersey Open, is looking to end his six-year slump and redeem himself for handing the 1996 Irish Open to Montgomerie with a mistake on the final hole.

"You try to play yourself into position like I am now," said the 41-year- old Oldcorn, who watched a chance at his third title slip away with a double-bogey at the 72nd hole at Druids Glen five years ago. "I don’t feel nervous. I don’t feel that I shouldn’t be where I am. I just want to take it forward and do my best over the next two days and not let myself down."

Oldcorn, three shots back at the start of the day, bogeyed the first hole Saturday but began a surge at the fourth that saw him post eight birdies over 12 holes to open a four-shot lead.

The advantage was cut in half at the 16th, where Oldcorn needed a 15-foot putt to save double-bogey. He added his ninth birdie of the day at the 17th.

Cabrera, who tied the course record with a 63 in round one, registered 11 straight pars before rolling in a 20-foot eagle putt at the par-five 12th to pull within a stroke of Oldcorn at 11-under.

But after a bogey at the 14th, Cabrera found trees at the 481-yard, par- four 15th and hit a cameraman when he tried to punch out. He then landed in a bunker and wound up dropping to seven-under with a costly triple-bogey.

The Argentinian bravely rebounded with three consecutive birdies for a 71 and a share of 10-under par.

Leaney collected six birdies and an eagle for the day's best round of 64. Price birdied three of the last six holes toward a 69.

A total of 72 players survived the cut, which came at one-under-par 143. Several top players fell on the wrong side of the line, including European No. 1 Lee Westwood, Jean Van de Velde and 2001 European Ryder Cup captain Sam Torrance.

Mark James, the skipper of Europe's 1999 Ryder Cup squad, shot 77-79 to miss the cut in his first start back from a bout with cancer.

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