Lee Westwood, who made his European Tour breakthrough in the Scandinavian Masters four years ago, stepped up his bid to win the title for a second time - despite a brilliant charge from fellow Englishman Barry Lane.
Westwood, two shots clear after a first round 63, added a second-round 67 for a 12-under-par halfway total of 130 at Kungsängen. Westwood carded three birdies and one bogey and also eagled the par-five fifth for the second day running in his 67 and was quietly satisfied despite a three putt for par on his last hole, the par-five ninth.
"If you would have given me 67 I probably would have taken it before the start," said Westwood, who won his first tour title in this event in 1996 in a play-off.
"It's never easy after you've had a round like yesterday with seven birdies and an eagle. You'd think you would at least make a couple of birdies early on but the first five holes on the back nine are not like that, they're very difficult.
"I was quite happy to get out a couple under, although 66 would have been a fair score if I had two putted the last from 50 feet."
Ryder Cup man Lane, now resident in Paris with his French wife, Stephanie, matched Westwood's first day 63 with eight birdies and no dropped shots to move from six behind to just two strokes adrift, a performance which signalled a return to the sort of form that brought him a Ryder Cup place in 1993.
The 40-year-old, from Middlesex, has won four times on the European Tour and won one million US dollars at the Andersen Consulting World Championship in 1995 but has not tasted victory since and has had just one top-20 finish this season.
A new mental approach has proved the turning point in his fortunes with the emphasis firmly back on enjoying his golf once more.
"I just decided to change my attitude," explained Lane, who chipped in from 20 yards for his first birdie on the third and holed a bunker shot on the 13th.
"There was absolutely nothing wrong with my golf and never has been but my attitude has not been good. When I was playing well I did not worry about the bad rounds but it started to get to me and I was trying too hard."
Reading parts of a psychological self-help book has been beneficial as well as the advice of wife Stephanie, who is expecting their child in October. He added:"My wife travelled with me every day for five years and it was hard since she stopped but she kept telling me to enjoy myself.”
Holland's Maarten Lafeber was a shot behind Lane on nine under after a 66 and Australian John Senden in fourth after a fine 64. Darren Clarke and Colin Montgomerie had some work to do to keep pace with Westwood. Clarke shot a second round 66 for seven under – four better than Montgomerie who followed his first round 68 with a level par 71.
