Romero pays the penalty as Sjoland takes lead

A TWO-SHOT penalty cost Eduardo Romero the halfway lead in the British Masters at the Forest of Arden yesterday and damaged his hopes of becoming the European tour's oldest winner.

The 49-year-old from Argentina went from one ahead of Swede Patrik Sjoland to one behind when chief referee John Paramor ruled against him after an incident on the 14th green.

Romero just missed a birdie putt from around 15 feet, but as he went to tap in the ball clearly moved. Thinking he had not grounded his putter the South American stepped away and thought he could hole out once the ball was at rest, even when playing partner Barry Lane asked him about it on the spot.