Woosnam races up leaderboard

The upturn in fortunes of Europe's Ryder Cup team extended to vice-captain Ian Woosnam in the second round of the Linde German Masters.

Woosnam, who would have been playing at the Belfry if not for being penalised two shots for carrying too many clubs in the final round of the Open championship last year, stormed to the top of the leaderboard at Gut Larchenhof.

The Welshman's opening-day 68 left him four shots off the lead held by Australian Stephen Leaney, but that deficit was wiped out with four birdies in his first six holes.

Starting on the 10th after a 20-minute delay due to early-morning fog, the former world number one birdied the 10th, 12th and 13th, and rolled in three more birdies in a row from the 15th to be out in 30 and into a two-shot lead at 10 under par.

Another birdie putt dropped from eight feet on the first and two huge blows on the 555-yard third left him a simple pitch to three feet for his eighth birdie of the day.

The course record of 63 set by Rodger Davis four years ago was now firmly in his sights, with the par five seventh offering another birdie opportunity.

Woosnam's nearest challenger was Londoner Anthony Wall who was also turning in a superb display, the 27-year-old nine under with one to play after picking up seven shots.

Defending champion Bernhard Langer was also making the most of the ideal scoring conditions after bright sunshine had burnt off the early mist, the veteran German being four under for the day and eight under overall.

Ryder Cup team-mates Padraig Harrington, Colin Montgomerie and Lee Westwood were all making encouraging progress as well with the delayed contest with the United States now less than two weeks away.

Westwood had carded six birdies and one bogey in 15 holes to improve to seven under, alongside Harrington whose recurring neck injury did not seem to be bothering him too much as he picked up six birdies and two bogeys.

Montgomerie also looked to have put concerns over his long-standing back problem to rest with six birdies and just one dropped shot to improve to be just one behind playing partner Harrington.