Lawrie & McGinley stay in lead

England's Daren Lee birdied two of the last four holes Saturday to join first-round co-leaders Paul McGinley and Paul Lawrie atop the leaderboard through two rounds of the Wales Open.

Lee, a 36-year-old who notched a career-best tie for fourth at the Great North Open in June, shot three-under 69 for a share of first place at six-under-par 138. His late surge proved to be very important because tournament officials decided to shorten the event to 54 holes.

Heavy rain Thursday at the Celtic Manor Resort forced the first round to be pushed back to Friday. Although second-round action was completed Saturday, the decision was made to play just one round on Sunday.

"It was a bit difficult to sustain concentration towards the end," said Lee, who wrapped up his round in near darkness. "To be honest I didn’t think we were going to be finished so in the circumstances I did well to birdie two of the last four holes."

Lee, one-under through nine holes Saturday with a pair of birdies and a bogey, rang up five straight pars on the back side before knocking a three-iron to nine feet to set up a birdie at the 456-yard 15th. He rolled in an eight-foot birdie putt at 17 to claim a piece of the lead.

McGinley, currently 10th on the European Ryder Cup standings, collected two birdies and a bogey for a 71. Seeking his third victory and his first since the Oki Pro-Am in 1997, the 34-year-old Irishman knows a win this week will cement his spot on Sam Torrance's European squad for the late September matches at The Belfry.

"Tomorrow will be an important day's golf for me but I don't want to put too much pressure on myself," McGinley said. "I just want to play with the same focus and determination as the last two days and play as hard as I can."

While the American Ryder Cup team will be determined after next week's PGA Championship, the final event in which European Tour players can earn Ryder Cup points will be the BMW International Open, August 30 to September 2 in Munich, Germany.

Also with a second-round 71 was Lawrie, who hasn't found the winner's circle since capturing the 1999 British Open in a four-hole playoff at Carnoustie.

Lawrie played well from tee to green Saturday, but for a second straight day struggled with his putting.

"I played fantastic but same as yesterday I didn't putt very well," explained Lawrie. "The putt on the 18th was typical after I hit a lovely pitch to four feet. Dribbled the putt and it caught the left edge and stayed out. It was a bad putting day again."

Lawrie, a Ryder Cup rookie in 1999, posted an impressive 3-1-1 record in a losing effort at Brookline. He is 25th in points and will need more than one victory over the next month to move into one of the 10 automatic spots for the European team.

Sweden's Anders Forsbrand, whose 67 tied for low round of the day, finished in fourth place alongside the Welsh duo of Jamie Donaldson (71) and Mark Pilkington (71) at five-under par.

Anders Hansen of Denmark had a 68 for sole possession of seven place at four- under, while Scotland's Gary Orr, tied for the lead with McGinley and Lawrie after one round, shot a two-over 74 to slip into a six-way knot for eighth place at minus-three.

Welsh favorites Phillip Price and Ian Woosnam were among the 81 players who made the cut at two-over-par 146. Price finished 36 holes just four strokes off the pace at two-under; Woosnam finished at one-over par.

Denmark's Steen Tinning, who made this event his breakthrough win last year, shot 76-72 to miss the cut.

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