Bjorn holds on to half way lead

Thomas Bjorn and Colin Montgomerie have made up after becoming involved in a heated argument at the end of their second round of the Johnnie Walker Classic on Friday.

Bjorn had just carded a four-under-par 68 on the Alpine Golf and Sports Club course to extend his lead to 12-under-par, two ahead of England's David Lynn and three ahead of Nick Faldo, in the tri-sanctioned event.

Montgomerie, competing the same group as the Dane, walked from the course with a five-under-par 67 to move to four under.

Moments after the European Ryder Cup team mates had handed in their scoring cards, Montgomerie sought to explain to Bjorn his actions on the seventh hole, which the pair were playing as their 16th after beginning their round from the 10th tee.

Montgomerie had put his second shot into the water at the par five hole and, after taking a compulsory drop shot and playing his fourth, headed across a wooden bridge that leads on to the green.

The Scottish golfer's actions disturbed Bjorn, who was already on the green with American Shaun Micheel.

The two exchanged words outside the scoring room before they were called into a private room by tournament director, Miguel Vidaor, where the matter was seemingly resolved.

"This stays between me and Monty and the European Tour," said Bjorn.

"I have the utmost respect for Monty as a golf player and a person and things happen once in a while on a golf course where players as competitive as we are have a difference of an opinion on some things.

"We took that inside and dealt with it, and we are as good friends as we were before we went out and we will always be good friends but it stays between us."

Bjorn said both he and Montgomerie did 'some things wrong' during their round but the 32-year-old would not elaborate what those wrong doings were.

"Everyone knows well enough we have our tempers and we both want to play well and that's it as there is really nothing in it."

Vidaor said: "They shook hands and as far as the Tour is concerned that is the end of the matter."

Bjorn has demonstrated frustration with Montgomerie in the past. Last November at the Volvo Masters at Valderrama Montgomerie stormed off the ninth green in the second round and moments later threw his ball hard into a cart path, narrowly missing a glass window. Bjorn, standing on the green, then raised his arm in mock fashion to wave goodbye to the Scot.

Bjorn, chasing an eighth European Tour victory in his first event of the New Year, recorded six birdies but also dropped two strokes in his round.

Lynn moved into second place on 10-under, adding a 66 to his opening 68 as he chases a first ever European Tour victory while Faldo sits in third on nine-under-par after a round of 70.

New Zealand's David Smail, Scotland's Simon Yates and Spaniard Miguel Angel Jimenez share fourth on eight-under while defending champion Ernie Els improved with a five-under-par 67 to move into contention on seven-under.

Ben Curtis, the British Open champion, suffered a triple bogey on the 17th to slump to three-under for the tournament.

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