Jesper Parnevik looking for more Swedish success in Senior Open

Jesper Parnevik gave himself a great chance of claiming an "Open double" for Sweden after he moved to within a shot of the lead at the halfway stage of the Senior Open Championship at Carnoustie.

Parnevik fired a second-round 68 in friendly conditions at the historic links to complete 36 holes in six under par as Kohki Idoki and Joe Durant led the way after rounds of 67 and 68 respectively, but home favourites Colin Montgomerie and Sandy Lyle missed the halfway cut.

Japan's Idoki birdied four of the first seven holes and mixed two bogeys with three birdies on the inward half, including his seventh gain of the day at the last, to set the clubhouse target at seven under.

He was joined by American Durant, who made five straight birdies from the 10th in the first round and came close to emulating that feat on Friday, following an outward 36 with birdies at 11, 12 and 14 before another at the last took him level with Idoki.

Durant's compatriot Olin Browne got off to a hot start with four birdies over the first five holes, and he picked up further shots at 13 and 14 before parring in to return a flawless 66 - the joint low round of the day along with Paul Broadhurst.

Browne shares third with former Ryder Cup star Parnevik, who also kept a bogey off his card and followed birdies at the eighth and 12th with a superb eagle at the 14th.

"I always love coming here, and I love links golf," said the 51-year-old, who was twice runner-up in The Open in 1994 and 1997. "I've always loved the golf course even it tortured me a little bit in the 1999 Open here. It's a lot of fun and inspires me.

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"I actually had no expectations this week, none at all. So it must be just pure inspiration from Henrik Stenson's win and my love of links golf. I think we've been on the golf map for the long time, but more especially in the women's game. We were kind of spoiled by the majors won by Annika Sorenstam and others.

"But no-one has played like Henrik those last five years so this was just a matter of time. All of us Swedes are overjoyed."

Peter Fowler, Tom Byrum and Carlos Franco are also one off the lead after each fired their second-straight 69, while 1998 Masters and Open champion Mark O'Meara is a further stroke back after three birdies and a bogey in his solid 70.

Fan favourite Miguel Angel Jimenez got to six under with three birdies in four holes from the 11th before he double-bogeyed the 15th after taking two to escape the front-right bunker.

Overnight leader Woody Austin plummeted 17 places down the leaderboard as he bogeyed three of the last four holes to hand in a disappointing 74 which left him on two under alongside two-time winner Bernhard Langer and two-time senior major champion Roger Chapman.

But Montgomerie, who made the cut on the number in The 145th Open at Royal Troon last week, will have the weekend off after he managed just one birdie on the front nine before dropping shots at the 11th and 17th to finish on five over par.