Lawrie equals low round of the day

Golf:Sweden's Peter Hedblom shot 64 to take a one shot lead at the halfway stage of the Castello Masters where Peter Lawrie also made a bold move up the leaderboard with the equal low round of the day.

Hedblom moved to nine under 133 and holds a one shot lead over Scotland's Paul Lawrie (70), Spain's Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano (66) and Italy's Matteo Manassero (66) having signed for a first-round 69.

The Swede eagled the par-five eighth and picked up six further birdies with one dropped shot coming at the ninth.

Four men are locked on seven under with Spain's Alvaro Velasco (64), compatriot Ricardo Gonzalez (71), Sweden's Christian Nilsson (67) and Gregory Bourdy (68) from France.

Peter Lawrie was in fine form and enjoyed a round comtaining six birdies and an eagle. The Dubliner's birdie burst came on his inward half. Having started on the 10th, he turned in level par but came home in just 30 shots to move inside the top 10 on six under at the halfway stage.

Belfast’s Michael Hoey is a shot further back on five under while Shane Lowry signed for a 70 and a three under total. Paul McGinley shot 66 to get back to two under for the tournament, while Damien McGrane's 65 made up for an opening 76 as the Meath pro moved to one under and safely inside the projected cut mark. Gareth Maybin was also one under after a 73.

Simon Thornton shot 70 but his hopes of retaining a main tour card for next season continue to fade after he finished on three over to miss another cut.

Returning Ryder Cup vice captain Sergio Garcia added a 73 to his first day 71 to finish two over, one shot outside the cut.