Swede takes lead but Oldcorn equals record

Golf

Two eagles which owed as much to luck as judgement helped the 22-year- old Swede Daniel Chopra into a two-stroke halfway lead over Scotland's Andrew Oldcorn at the Madeira Island Open yesterday.

Chopra, whose father is Indian and who was second on the Asian Order of Merit last year, added a 66 to his opening 69 for a nine-under-par total of 135 in only his fourth European event.

Meanwhile, Oldcorn played an extraordinary round, scoring an eagle, nine birdies and two double bogeys into a course record-equalling 65.

England's Mark Roe, making his final appearance before his US Masters debut in Augusta in a fortnight, missed the cut on three over par after three-putting seven times and four-putting once.

``If we had to putt on greens like this every week you wouldn't want to be a professional golfer," Roe said.

MADEIRA OPEN (Santo da Serra): Leading second-round scores (GB or Irl unless stated): 135 D Chopra (Swe) 69 66. 137 A Oldcorn 72 65. 138 P Mitchell 72 66. 139 J Sandelin (Swe) 72 67. 140 P Lyons 68 72; S McAllister 73 67; P Sjoland (Swe) 72 68; M Davis 72 68; J Van de Velde (Fr) 69 71; P Golding 69 71; I Garrido (Sp) 70 70; T Gogele (Ger) 70 70; P Way 71 69; D Howell 71 69. 141 P Affleck 72 69; S Ames (Trin) 72 69; D Borrego (Sp) 74 67; D Higgins 71 70; C Suneson 71 70; J Payne 70 71; A Sherborne 72 69. 142 M Archer 73 69; R McFarlane 68 74; D J Russell 73 69; R Claydon 72 70; M Besanceney (Fr) 70 72. 143 D Ray 73 70; D A Russell 74 69; A Haglund (Swe) 70 73; J McHenry 70 73; S Gallacher 69 74; G Ralph 71 72; S Watson 70 73.