Otto takes clear lead in Madeira Islands Open
South African Hennie Otto burst clear of the field at the Madeira Islands Open on Friday 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.
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.
Ireland's Peter Lawrie finished three over after nine holes.
