Scotland's Lawrie charges up leaderboard

Scotland's Paul Lawrie has stepped up his bid for a first title in eight years today.

The 41-year-old Scot, winner of The Open in 1999, had six birdies in the first 13 holes of his BMW International Open second round in Munich.

The last of them took Lawrie to nine under par and third place only two strokes behind Spaniard Pablo Larrazabal.

Lawrie, whose last victory came at the 2002 Wales Open, resumed on three under, five off the overnight pace set by his compatriot Peter Whiteford and Welshman Bradley Dredge, and picked up shots on the 11th, 13th, 14th, 16th, first and fourth.

With Whiteford and Dredge among the later starters former French Open champion Larrazabal took the chance to lead by turning 34 and then grabbing further birdies on the 11th, 15th and 17th in the glorious sunshine.

He was only one ahead of Ariel Canete, however, after the Argentinian golfer added a 69 to his opening 65.

Two further back in a tie for fourth were England’s David Hosey (67), South African Charl Schwartzel, Austrian Markus Brier and, of course, Whiteford and Dredge.

World number eight Paul Casey stood six under and playing partner Colin Montgomerie four under – Casey was keen, of course, to impress Europe’s Ryder Cup captain in case he needs a wild card at the end of August – but Sir Nick Faldo stood seven over in his first event since last July’s Open.

Other late starters included Ernie Els, third behind McDowell at the US Open on Sunday and currently two under, and Sergio Garcia, down on five over and requiring a miracle to avoid a second successive missed cut on European soil for the first time as a professional.