MADEIRA ISLAND OPEN: South African Hennie Otto burst clear of the field at the Madeira Islands Open today after a two-and-a-half hour delay caused by gusts of up to 35mph.
The 31-year-old from Boksburg, denied his first European Tour win five years ago when Padraig Harrington sank a closing 20-foot birdie putt in Hong Kong, returned a second successive 67 to reach halfway at 10 under.
That put him four clear of Germany's Sven Struver and Swede Fredrik Widmark, who because of the earlier hold-up were unable to finish their second rounds before nightfall.
Struver, who led by one after his opening 66, covered the front nine in a level par 36 before play was called off, while Widmark had managed only six holes.
Peter Lawrie was level par for his round through nine holes to remain on three-over, one shot inside the projected cut mark.
Favourite Bradley Dredge was a massive 11 strokes adrift following a 75 in which he dropped five shots in his last six holes.
The Welshman needs to win to move back into the world's top 50 a week before the cut-off for the Masters, but was down in joint 33rd spot.
Former Open champion Paul Lawrie withdrew with back trouble - he had opened with a 76 - while Dredge's World Cup-winning partner Stephen Dodd managed to add only a 79 to his first round 75.
Otto is trying to regain his European Tour card and highlight of his round was a chip-in eagle two at the 395-yard 10th. He then followed it with birdies on the 12th and 14th for an inward 32.
American Notah Begay stood one under and joint 15th after seven holes.
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