Scandinavian pair lead Russian Open

A strong British challenge is poised to make its mark at the Cadillac Russian Open after Sweden dominated day two in Moscow.

Scandinavian pair Fredrik Widmark and Mikael Lundberg, who had been tied for second overnight, hold the top two places on 10 and nine under respectively but England’s Ben Mason and Shaun Webster are handily placed on eight under.

English duo Denny Lucas and Andrew Butterfield and Scotsman Marc Warren are on six under, as is Welshman Craig Williams who was eight under with three holes to play only to bogey two of them.

Two-time champion Iain Pyman remained five under after a level-par 72 while first-round leader Tom Whitehouse dropped three shots to three under after a 75.

Mason put himself in a good position at eight under after a second successive round of 68 which had five birdies – including two 20-foot putts – and only one bogey after finding sand at the 436-yard 10th.

“I have been playing well recently, making a few putts and hitting a few good shots,” he said.

“It is getting closer but I haven’t put four decent days together to finish well up there but you never know, this week might be the time.

“But you have got to be looking at 18 under. If you get there you will have a very good chance of winning.”

Webster had five birdies and a bogey, with the 477-yard par-four third costing him his only dropped shot, in a 68.

Warren shot the round of the week with a 64 and, having begun two over, five birdies on the front nine lifted him to three under as he went out in 31.

The Lanarkshire 24-year-old’s run continued as, after a bogey-five at the 10th, he carded four birdies in five holes and finished eight under for his round and six for the tournament, co-sanctioned by the European and Challenge Tours.

“I’m very satisfied. I played well yesterday but got the putter working today,” he said.

“It was the goal today to try to get right back into contention. I was thinking about the cut but I tried to make my mind off that and put in a low one.

“I tried to make as many birdies as I could and hopefully it will get better every day. I think 16 under could do it around here – that would be pretty close to the mark.”

On a warm, sunny day at the Le Meridien Moscow Country Club scoring was much easier and Widmark produced a second 67 to move clear at the top with Lundberg just one shot worse off with a 68.

“All in all it was a very good day. I have given myself a good chance and now I am going to work on the things which went wrong on the course today and hopefully I can improve on that for the weekend,” said Widmark, who has already won twice this year at the Moroccan Classic and Texbond Open in Italy.

Former world tennis number one and Sydney Olympic champion Yevgeny Kafelnikov, an eight handicapper, slipped to last place at 40-over after a round of 96, while Sweden’s Klas Eriksson had to withdraw after a mistake over dates on his visa meant he had to leave the country today.

Stephen Browne was best of the Irish on two under par, while Michael Hoey also made the cut on even par.