Barry Lane made a big charge to the top of the leaderboard midway through his second round at the Casa Serena Open, posting three birdies to leave him at seven under at the turn.
The Englishman was a late entry to the tournament, deciding to travel to the Czech Republic as he aims to overhaul Peter Fowler’s lead at the top of the European Senior Tour Order of Merit and was three shots off Roger Chapman’s overnight lead after an opening 67.
Lane is splitting his schedule with The European Tour where he is 135th on The Race to Dubai, finishing in a respectable tied 25that the KLM Open last week.
But as he currently lies €33,503 behind Fowler in the Senior Tour Order of Merit, Lane has made his John Jacobs trophy ambitions clear by adding the Casa Serena Open to his busy schedule.
His decision is certainly looking like paying off after he shot to an outright lead with birdies at the second, third and sixth holes.
Intriguingly, however, Lane is closely followed by Fowler, whose four birdies on the third, fifth, sixth and seventh left him one shot off the lead at the turn.
The Australian joined Roger Chapman, Mark Mouland and Andrew Murray in tied second place as overnight leader Chapman’s bogey at the first left him one over through four, while Mouland made a steady start to his second round with six opening pars.
Andrew Murray, meanwhile, reached the turn in four under par 31 after posting an opening round 69.
Earlier, Mark James set a new course record at Casa Serena Golf after a stunning second round 63 which included no less than nine birdies.
