Manley retains lead

Manley: Committed

Second-round leaderboard
GB & Ire unless stated
S Manley -11
A Quiros (Spn) -10
MA Carlsson (Swe) -9
P Lawrie -9

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Stuart Manley, who has yet to score a top-10 finish on the European Tour in five years of competition, holds a one-stroke lead at the halfway stage of the Portugal Masters.

The 29-year-old Welshman, who once had a trial with Manchester United, followed up an opening-round 65 - his lowest on the Tour - with a four-under-par 68 to retain his overnight lead at the Oceanico Victoria Golf Club.

"I know what I've got to do," said the 2003 Walker Cup hero - who has his wife, brother, parents and a couple of friends in Vilamoura cheering him on.

"I just have to commit really. If the shots don't come off they don't come off, but as long as I commit and go out there and give myself a chance that's all I can ask for."

Although victory is the obvious aim for Manley, third place would be a great result for the world number 575.

That finishing position would guarantee him almost £150,000 and, having earned less than £60,000 so far this year, it could save him a fifth trip to the Tour qualifying school.

Manley had been supplanted at the top of the leaderboard after he reached the turn in 36.

But momentum was re-established when he chipped in for par on the 11th, before hitting a four-iron to six feet for an eagle at the 547-yard next.

And there was more to come, with birdies following at the 15th and 16th.

Manley attributed his change of fortunes to a recent dressing down from coach Pete Cowen.

"It wasn't a rollicking, just a bit of a telling-off," he added.

"He said I should be spending four hours on my short game and one hour on the long game.

"I was spending more time perfecting my swing. You don't really need to do that - if you can perfect your short game you can save a lot more shots."

Spain's Alvaro Quiros (68) lies in second place on 10 under, one stroke ahead of Sweden's Magnus A Carlsson (66) and Scotland's Paul Lawrie (65).

Winning ways

The former Open champion, who is without a win since the 2002 Wales Open, hopes he can return to winning ways this weekend.

"I've been playing well for a while - but holed a few putts today," Lawrie said after firing a total of seven birdies.

"It's disappointing obviously to be 96th on the Order of Merit - I'm a better player than that - but you never realise how hard the game is until you struggle with the putter."

Order of Merit leader Robert Karlsson could yet record his third successive victory after a five-under 67 lifted him from 17th to joint fifth on eight under.

And Lee Westwood, third in the standings, matched Karlsson to stay three behind the Swede despite finding the water at the 17th for the second day running.

Darren Clarke climbed to five under but then double-bogeyed the last for a 69, while playing partner Colin Montgomerie (76) missed the cut for the fourth time in five starts.

The day also saw an incident on the seventh hole when a 69-year-old marshall, Graham Fitch, needed rescuing after falling into the nearby lake.

He said: "It was not funny at the time. I was frightened - it's no good saying I wasn't.

"I was up to my neck and I can swim only a few yards, so I cried out for help.

"At first someone came with an umbrella to try to pull me back to dry land, but I couldn't reach it and every time I tried to put a foot down I went further in.

"But another marshall was brilliant then. He came in and pushed me, so I could reach the rocks and clamber out.

"I'd been watching drives and had taken a few backward steps when suddenly I did the splits and went down into the water, like going down a children's slide."

Jean Van de Velde, best known for his exploits in Carnoustie's Barry Burn at the 1999 Open, was playing the hole at the time.