Fraser leads with record round

Australian Marcus Fraser took a one-stroke lead in the second round of the BMW Russian Open on Friday, breaking the course record with a 65 that gave him an 11-under-par 133.

Fraser shot five birdies in the back nine of a soggy Le Meridien Moscow Golf and Country Club course to edge ahead of Englishmen David Ryles and Jamie Elson and Austrian Martin Wiegele, who finished tied on 10 under.

Fraser said his driving was the main reason for his good performance.

"I only missed two fairways. If you miss the fairways around here, you are in a bit of strife," he said. "I've driven it really well and putted better today."

Fraser has already won two European Challenge Tour events inn his first year as a professional. A win at the dual ranking Moscow event -- with players from the European and Challenge Tours -- would give him immediate exemption to the European Tour in 2004.

"To win a double-badge event like this obviously opens up even more windows for next year, so I'll keep plugging away and see what happens at the end of the week," he said.

Elson, a member of the winning team in the 2001 Walker Cup, also shot a 65.

"It's funny having a late tee time, I'm a lot more relaxed for some reason, I plod my way round and don't get too excited about anything," he said.

The second round of the tournament was delayed one hour by fog, and the course was still sodden after several days of rain.

The tournament's highest ranking player -- Scotsman Andrew Coltart -- shot 5-under-par 67 for an eighth-place tie at 8-under.

Coltart had a stroke of luck on the seventh when an overhit bunker shot struck the flag and stopped.

"I think the way I have played over the past two days, I was entitled to something like that," he said.

Russia's brightest hope -- teenage amateur Dmitri Vinogradov -- hit a par 72 that took him to 1-under. Seventy-seven players made the cut of 2-under for the final two rounds.

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