Schwartzel, Fraser lead at halfway point at Madrid

text size

Walton/Getty Images

Marcus Fraser of Australia plays his approach on the 15th hole during the Madrid Masters at the Club de Campo Villa de Madrid.

MADRID, Spain (AP) -- Charl Schwartzel overcame illness and a sore shoulder Friday to shoot a 7-under 64 and share the Madrid Masters lead with Marcus Fraser after the second round.

Schwartzel nearly withdrew before play started Friday because of his ailments, but the South African still managed to shoot the day's second-lowest score to join Fraser with a 9-under total of 133.

Sweden's Steven Jeppesen (67) and Robert Rock of England (65) were two shots back.

"I phoned my dad this morning and he told me to tee off and see how it goes. So I did that and then I got a couple of birdies and I started to feel better," said Schwartzel, who had a bogey-free round with five birdies and an eagle at the par-5 No. 4. "I'm on antibiotics and I don't feel that strong. But that was a very solid round of golf and I'm in a very good position."

Fraser, who shot a 67 on Thursday to share the overnight lead, started with three birdies over the first four holes but then made three straight bogeys from No. 6. But the Australian rallied with five birdies over the back nine for a 66.

"(The course is playing) a bit shorter than other weeks, not so much of a slog-fest, which suits me well because it tests your short game," Fraser said. "I feel like I'm playing quite well overall."

A handful of players were three strokes behind the leaders, while Spanish Ryder Cup player Miguel Angel Jimenez -- who hasn't won in Spain in 10 years -- was seven shots back, along with former U.S. Open champion Angel Cabrera.

Jose Maria Olazabal's return from an injury lost some momentum after the two-time Masters champion shot a 72 to make the cut with an even-par score of 142.

Talk of the tournament continued to center on five-time major champion Seve Ballesteros, who remains in a hospital undergoing tests to determine why a dizzy spell put him there on Monday. The 51-year-old Ballesteros, who suffers from an irregular heartbeat, said Thursday that he was feeling well.