James Heath vaults three shots clear

James Heath made the best of a late entry to the 400,000 euros ($485,500) Saint-Omer Open to shoot a 66 in Friday's second round, the best score of the week, and take a three-shot lead.

The 22-year-old, playing in his fifth European Tour event of the season, picked up five birdies to shoot the first blemish-free round of the week and move to six-under-par 136.

Swedish rookie Pelle Edberg shot a 69, despite quadruple-bogeying the 16th, to share second place with another Briton, Shaun P Webster (68), a former winner at St-Omer on the lower-ranked Challenge Tour.

Heath, managed by former world number one Nick Faldo and a professional since November, is bidding to win a tour card for 2006 in one fell-swoop with victory and a one-year exemption.

His objective is to eventually play four consistently good rounds, having shared the lead with a 63 in the Wales Open two weeks ago before fading and last week missing the cut after contending strongly in the Dutch Open.

"It would be nice to put the four rounds together," said Heath. "I know it's going to happen eventually. It's not like it's never going to happen."

Frenchman Jean Van de Velde, trying to get his career back on track after two years of knee problems, lies six strokes off the lead after a second 71.

Britain's Lewis Atkinson won a car for a hole in one on the par-three 17th but missed the cut on seven-over-par and went back to house-sitting for Thomas Bjorn at Wentworth, England while the Dane is at Pinehurst for the US Open.

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