Bourdy and Lombard lead Lyoness Open

Gregory Bourdy and Zander Lombard hold a share of the lead at the halfway mark in the Lyoness Open after Adrian Otaegui was brought back down to earth on Friday.

Otaegui led by two shots after a flawless eight-under first round of 64 on Thursday, but the Spaniard dropped back to four under with a 76 a day later at the Diamond Country Club in Atzenbrugg.

Frenchman Bourdy and South African Lombard took advantage of Otaegui's second-round woe by going around in 69 and 70 respectively to lead Gary Stal by one shot.

The leading duo will head into the weekend on seven under, but it could have been a different story for Lombard if he had not made back-to-back bogeys at the 12th and 13th holes in the wind.

Lombard made an early statement with four birdies in his opening six holes to surge to the top of the leaderboard, but the 21-year-old managed just one further gain after dropping a shot at the eighth before his two further bogeys on the back nine.

Bourdy dropped back to three under after his only bogey of the second round at the 11th - his second hole of the day - but recovered to give himself a great chance of winning a fifth European Tour victory.

He made gains at the 14th and 15th before picking up another shot at the sixth and finishing on a high note with a birdie on his final hole of the day to take the clubhouse lead.

Stal was made to pay for a double-bogey seven at the 15th as he signed for a one-under 71, while Borja Virto surged into fourth place - two shots off the lead - with a 69.

Otaegui could not manage a solitary birdie and a double-bogey following a pair of bogeys on the front nine saw him slip down to a share of fifth with Joost Luiten and Richard McEvoy.