Lawrie pegged back in Sicily Open

There was a seven-way tie for the lead at the half-way stage of the second round of the European Tour's Sicily this afternoon.

Sweden's Pelle Edberg was the biggest mover this morning, carding a six-under-par round of 66 to move to eight under, alongside David Lynn, Jamie Donaldson, Maarten Lafeber, Simon Wakefield, Soren Kjeldsen and overnight leader Peter Lawrie.

Irishman Lawrie posted a brilliant 64 yesterday, but had to settle for a level-par round today at the Verdura Golf & Spa Resort, with three birdies and three bogeys.

In contrast, Edberg managed six birdies and an eagle, while Englishman Wakefield also impressed with a 67 and Holland's Lafeber recorded a 68.

Yesterday's early leader Kjeldsen was the only one of the seven among the later starters and he put himself in a great position to top the lot at the end of the day, the Dane reaching eight-under after six holes thanks to a birdie at the fourth.

The congestion continued behind the leaders, with five players one shot back on seven-under, among them South African Garth Mulroy, who carded a 67.

England's Chris Wood was six under after a one-under 71, the same mark as Australia's Richard Green, while England's Paul Broadhurst and Irishman Shane Lowry were five under.

Open star Tom Lewis, 21, was left anxiously waiting to see if he had made the cut after a 73 dropped him to three under, one shot ahead of John Daly and two clear of Italian Matteo Manassero and Ireland's Paul McGinley, all of whom have plenty of work to do.