Thomas
Bjorn, who has not won on the European Tour for 18 months, signalled his return
on Friday when he took the lead in the Sarazen World Open.
The 27-year-old Dane, who played in just nine events in the first half of the
year because of injury and the arrival of his first child, added a 69 to his opening
66 for a two-round total of 135, nine under par.
The threat of an electrical storm later halted play with 57 players still on the
course.
Earlier in the day
thick mist had delayed the start of the second round by three hours.
Bjorn holds a one-stroke lead over fellow Dane Steen Tinning and Thomas Levet
of France,
"I am playing
very solid golf and feel very comfortable on the course again. That's good," Bjorn
said.
"I am keeping myself
more calm on the course and can sense that things are happening again. I am moving
in the right direction."
Bjorn needs to climb one place to 20th in the European Order of Merit to earn
a place in next month's Valderrama stroke play championship and jump 24 places
in the world rankings to return to the top 50.
"That's
my aim: to get to Valderrama and play my way into the top 50 so that I can get
into the majors and the world championship events," he said. "Winning is the only
way to do that."
Tinning,
37, and still without a win on the European Tour, is finally being rewarded for
a season temporarily halted by the golf ball of a Sunday 'hacker' during a company
day in Denmark.
He missed
seven weeks in May and June after being hit on the right thumb by a full-blooded
drive.
"I was collecting
balls on the range when this drive hit me from just 30 yards away. It was agony
and I was in a plaster cast for seven weeks," Tinning said.
"The
bone was crushed and the whole thing broke the rhythm of my season. I can still
feel it sore on occasions and it's proved to be an expensive lesson for me."
Tinning moved within a shot of Bjorn, thanks to a 67 containing four birdies and
an eagle, while Levet had just 25 putts in a round of 68.
They are, in turn, one stroke in front of Spanish-based Miles Tunnicliff, who
fired a 69 for 137, and fellow Briton Peter Mitchell, who carded a 70.
