Bradley Dredge vaults into lead with 63

Britain's Bradley Dredge took a one-shot lead in the Scandinavian Masters second round on Friday with an eight-under-par 63.

He has changed the putting habits of a lifetime to try to convert his victory chances and the sudden switch seemed to work after a fine round that took him to 13-under 129.

That was a stroke ahead of two former Ryder Cup players, Swede Pierre Fulke, who matched Dredge's 63, and Briton Barry Lane, who shot 66.

One of the European Tour's most consistent performers, 32-year-old Dredge let another winning chance go begging last Sunday in the Players Championship of Europe.

After taking an early lead on Saturday morning in the rain-affected event in Germany, a negative putting display over the final two rounds left him tied for fifth place.

Several good chances of winning have gone begging in his career, including being overtaken by 2002 Volvo Masters joint winners Colin Montgomerie and Bernhard Langer.

With just the modest 2003 Madeira Island Open title to his name, Dredge felt it was time for change and spent three days reworking his putting before trying again for a second title.

"Last week was a good chance to win and it was disappointing," he said. "But I took the positives out of it and tried to learn from my mistakes, mainly my putting routine.

"I've looked at videos and I seem to stand a long time over the ball. It's worked for years and years but if I want to start winning tournaments I have to change that.

"I have to let it happen, have a last look at the hole, keep the image of it in my mind, and then go, rather than force it in."

With the European Ryder Cup campaign starting in less than five weeks, Dredge has high hopes of being in fellow Welshman Ian Woosnam's squad next year and is relying on his putting improvements to get him there.

With the course cut by 386 yards and preferred-lies in use because of heavy rain earlier in the week, the leader assessed the real par as 67. The halfway cut fell at four-under.

Sweden's Henrik Nystrom and Frenchman Jean-Francois Remesy, both with 65s, trail the lead by two shots.

Overnight leader Marc Cayeux of Zimbabwe dropped three early shots but fought back to finish three strokes off the pace with Norway's Henrik Bjornstad.

Tournament favourite Adam Scott went out in five-under but then also had to recover well for a 65 after hovering on the cut mark with bogeys after the turn. The Australian is six shots off the lead.

Spain's Ignacio Garrido came home in 29, seven-under, to shoot a 62, the best score of the week and a 12 shot swing on his opening effort, allowing him to make the cut with two shots to spare.

South African Martin Maritz won a $25,000 car for a hole in one on the sixth, his 15th, and then ensured he made the cut right on the mark by closing with three birdies for a 65.

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