David Drysdale vaults into lead with 64 - Telecom Italia Open 2006

Britain's David Drysdale led the Italian Open at the halfway stage on Friday after a dazzling putting display took him to a second round eight-under-par 64, only a stroke off the Tolcinasco course record.

The 31-year-old Drysdale needed only 20 putts, only one off the nine-year-old European Tour record, as he collected nine birdies to move two clear of the field on 13 under.

It was a welcome change of fortune for the Scot, who came to Tolcinasco with a septic finger, caused by biting his nails, but still shot an opening round 67.

Drysdale's career waned last year when he lost his Tour card by one place and less than 400 pounds ($740.6), following an extraordinary run of mishaps.

First he had to pull out on the eve of the lucrative Dunhill Links Championship with a torn intercostal muscle and his replacement, Englishman Sam Little, went on to earn 22,000 pounds prize money.

A month later Little ousted Drysdale from the 116th and final exempt place for a card by getting up and down from a bunker at the final hole in the final tournament to count for the money-list, the Majorca Classic.

Drysdale then missed regaining his card by just one stroke at tour school a few weeks later.

The Scot, who admits to often being "physically sick" with nerves before a round, feels he is due some fortune, especially this weekend, and a find by his caddie could be the key.

"My caddie found a four-leaf clover as we were going to the second tee and he put it in the yardage book," he said.

"We'll be keeping it for the weekend. My putting was just dynamite. Last year was just amazing. If I'd played in the Dunhill I could have missed the cut in my last five events and still kept my card!"

Earlier, Ryder Cup captain Ian Woosnam scored a 66 to contend strongly, although Drysdale's hot putter caused the 48-year-old to drift five strokes off the lead.

Overnight front-runner Soren Kjeldsen of Denmark, Britain's Philip Archer and Benn Barham and Italian Francesco Molinari share second place