
MADRID, Spain -- Charl Schwartzel overcame illness and a sore shoulder Friday to shoot a 7-under 64 and share a two-shot lead at the Madrid Masters with Marcus Fraser.
Schwartzel nearly withdrew before play started Friday in the European Tour event, but the South African went on to shoot the day's second-lowest score to join Fraser (66) at 9-under 133 after the second round.
Sweden's Steven Jeppesen (67) and Robert Rock of England (65) were two shots back. Andrew Tampion of Australia had a 63 that left him five strokes off the pace.
"I phoned my dad this morning and he told me to tee off and see how it goes," Schwartzel said. "So I did that and then I got a couple of birdies and I started to feel better."
He 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," he said. "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. The Australian rallied with five birdies over the back nine for his 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 at 142.
Five players are three shots back on 6 under, including Spaniard Santiago Luna (68) and Italian Paolo Terreni (65), who has made only one cut in 19 previous attempts on the European Tour.
Schwartzel, out early off the 10th tee, had a run of three birdies from the 13th and then increased the pressure on the way back in with an eagle and two more birdies. He briefly led at one point, capitalizing on a slip-up from Fraser, who had a three-hole run of bogeys following a strong start but recovered by picking up five shots on the back nine.
However, afterward Schwartzel said he was glad to have completed his round, let alone be a co-leader.
"I really didn't feel good this morning but I got a couple of birdies early on and felt a bit better," he said. "Then the sun came out and my shoulder warmed up and improved a lot.''
"It was a really solid round. I played well and felt very comfortable," he added. "My swing's been feeling good for a while now and this golf course suits my game. I hit a lot of good shots today.''
Fraser, the 2003 Russian Open champion, set the pace early on with a glut of birdies, one of which came from a chip-in at the third. Afterward he said his in-form short game was a valuable asset on the Club de Campo course.
Copyright 2008 Associated Press and PA Sport. All rights reserved.
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