Five share lead into the weekend

Five players, including former U.S. Masters champion Ian Woosnam, shared the lead after the second round of the $1.5 million Qatar Masters on Friday.

Gregory Havret (France), Gary Murphy (Ireland), Andrew Oldcorn (Britain), Nobuhito Sato (Japan) and Briton Woosnam (Britain) were tied at the top of a crowded leaderboard at six-under-par 138.

Just five strokes separated the leaders and players who just made the cut, the lowest difference in European PGA Tour history.

"It's going to be very interesting because the leader is six under and the cut one under, so anybody from the cut line can still win," Havret said after his round of 68.

Woosnam fired four birdies in his 69.

"I think anybody who gets off to a good start tomorrow can be right up the leaderboard," he said. "For me, I didn't play as well as yesterday, but got some nice up and downs and that was a right score really."

The day's best scores came from Briton Jonathan Lomas and Sweden's Joakim Haeggman, who both fired eight-under-par 64s.

Irishman Paul McGinley and former champions Tony Johnstone of Zimbabwe and Briton Andrew Coltart were among players who missed the cut.

The European Tour announced that it would observe one minute's silence during the third round at Doha Golf Club on Saturday as a mark of respect for the victims of the Madrid bombings.

Seven Spanish players are taking part in the tournament, including Ignacio Garrido.

"It is very sad and of course it is only right to have a minute's silence," Garrido said. "Any mark of respect is good but nothing can help those poor people now."

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