Four-way tie for Portugal lead

French pair Jade Schaeffer and Sophie Giquel, Swede Louise Stahle and Australia's Joanne Mills shared the lead after the second round of the Ladies Open de Portugal on the Algarve today.

The quartet were tied on seven-under-par after 36 holes at the Gramacho Pestana Golf Resort near Carvoeiro, leading by three strokes over Swede Johanna Westerberg.

Giquel and Stahle carded best-of-day 67s while Mills had a 68 and Schaeffer a 69.

Stahle, who currently leads the Ryder Cup Wales Rookie of the Year race, for the best newcomer to the LET, carded six birdies and one bogey. She was pleased to have hit 17 fairways and 16 greens, with her longest putt from 20 feet.

"I'm excited. I'm playing very steady and according to my plan for each hole," said 22-year-old Stahle, who joined the LET at the end of last year after turning professional in August 2005.

Schaeffer, 21 tomorrow, is playing in only her eighth start on Tour as a professional with a previous best finish of joint 28th in the recent KLM Ladies Open.

Giquel, playing in her fourth year on Tour, carded six birdies and one bogey in her second round and like the two rookies she was aiming for a maiden Tour victory. Her career best finish was second in the BMW Ladies Italian Open.

Mills, a 14-year Tour veteran, last won 10 years ago at the 1997 German Open. She came close to a second LET victory at the recent Northern Ireland Ladies Open but eventually took joint third position.

She said she was feeling confident enough to win again.

"I've been close each week. I've been playing really well its just to hole a few more putts and hopefully I can carry it on.

"I'm in a good position for tomorrow so I'll just carry on doing what I'm doing. I didn't get a practice round either so I'm really surprised that I'm doing so well.

"Yesterday was the first time I had played the course so I was really happy with three under yesterday and four-under today. To go round this course and not drop a shot, I was pretty impressed with myself."