BA-CA GOLF OPEN RELATED STORIES BA-CA Golf Open Preview Round 1: Graeme Storm leads with opening 63 Round 2: Richard Green leads at the halfway stage Round 3: Green leads from McEvoy Round 4: Richard Green wins in playoff BA-CA Golf Open Scores 2007 European Tour Schedule GOLF TODAY TOP STORIES Paul Azinger names US wildcards Faldo chooses Casey and Poulter Havret gains wire to wire Gleneagles win Sluman clinches First Tee Open with closing 67 Fallout continues over LPGA "English" rule Poulter chooses high risk Ryder Cup strategy GREAT GIFTS FOR GOLFERS Golf Breaks to Portugal & Ireland Half Price Golf Vouchers InstructaCard - your portable pro! The Father & Son Golf Ch'ship Golf Insurance

Richard Green leads at the halfway stage

Australian Richard Green proved the old racing adage of 'horses for courses' when he took the lead after the Austrian Open second round.

Green set the Fontana course record of eight-under-par 63 last year and the left-hander was on song again on Friday when a 65 earned a one-shot halfway advantage.

After moving to 11-under 131, one better than Swede Martin Erlandsson, Green was in position to end his long wait for a second European Tour title.

In 1997 he beat Greg Norman and Ian Woosnam to win the Dubai Desert Classic but, despite coming close on several occasions, has not been able to add to that victory.

If he ends his wait at Fontana, the Australian would be indebted to Swedish Ryder Cup player Robert Karlsson.

"I spoke to Robert a few years ago and he told me this course would suit me really well so I decided to take his advice, came here for the first time last year and shot 63," Green told reporters.

"The course fits my game well and it's like playing at home. As far as the second win goes, I've got to lift that monkey off my back. I won the Australian Masters a few years ago but I would really love to win on the European Tour again."

Former Ryder Cup Spaniard Miguel Angel Jimenez is alongside Swedes Pelle Edberg and Steven Jeppesen on nine-under.

While Jimenez flourished, his playing partner Colin Montgomerie (74) missed the cut by five strokes on 147.

Darren Clarke's agony continued when rain and a freak wind blew up as he was about to play the final hole.

The Briton desperately tried to compensate for the conditions but sent his approach into the lake and his eventual bogey meant he missed the cut by a stroke.

Clarke (70) has not made a cut since February.