Wilson soars after early eagle

England's Oliver Wilson resumed his first round with an eagle and finished his second with a birdie a few hours later to claim the halfway lead in the European Masters here yesterday.

Wilson was one of 44 players unable to complete their opening rounds on Thursday after a two-hour delay due to overnight frost.

The former Walker Cup player was three under par at the time and faced with a 10ft eagle putt on the 15th green when play was suspended. Under tour regulations he could have completed the hole but chose to mark his ball and return this morning, holing the putt and also picking up a birdie on the 17th to card a 65.

After a 30-minute break to grab some breakfast, Wilson then compiled a 66 with six further birdies and one bogey for an 11-under-par total of 131, one shot ahead of the defending champion Bradley Dredge, of Wales, with the Australian Brett Rumford two shots further back in third.

"It was a good decision last night because I was putting well but my caddie said to me it would be good to come back on a positive note and it worked out well," Wilson said. "It is amazing the difference it made having that putt to start with. I knew realistically I would make birdie for four under and five was a bonus."