Golf: Woosnam regaining his touch: Welshman in driving seat at the BMW Open in Munich

IAN WOOSNAM produced an impressive inward nine holes to take a one-stroke lead after the second round of the BMW International Open in Munich yesterday.

The 35-year-old Welshman, who carded a first-round of 65, added a 68 for an aggregate of 133, 11 under par. Woosnam believes that his growing confidence with his putter could bring him his first victory since the Monte Carlo Open in July last year.

Woosnam is one shot ahead of Sweden's Joakim Haeggman and the South African, De Wet Basson, and two ahead of Bernhard Langer, Peter Mitchell, Thomas Goegele and Brian Marchbank. 'This is the best 36 holes I have played this year, and if I keep putting like I have over the past two days, then I have a good chance of winning.' Woosnam said.

'I'm hitting the ball solid and I'm sure I shall be there or thereabouts on Sunday. But I've been in contention so many times when I have not putted well, so now it's time I won something.'

Woosnam's second round of 68 came after a poor start. He began at the 10th, and although he birdied the 11th he three-putted the 12th from 15 feet to throw away a shot.

'That was a real blow,' he added. 'And then I had nine pars in a row. I thought I would never get another birdie, but I knocked in an eight- footer at the fourth and that got me going again.'

But the highlight of the Welshman's round was at the 482-yard sixth where he hit the green with a drive and a three-iron and sank a 25-foot putt for an eagle.

Then a birdie at the short eighth, where he holed out from 12 feet, sent him to 11 under, a lead that was never really challenged for the rest of the day.

Haeggman, one of Woosnam's main rivals for a Ryder Cup place, had eight birdies in his second-round of 66 but had bogey-fives at both the fourth and 10th.