• Czech Open, Round Two

Fisher finds form to challenge leaders

Oliver Fisher fires an iron shot © Getty Images

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Englishman Oliver Fisher shot himself into contention at the halfway stage of the Czech Open after a round of 67 on a day interrupted by the weather.

Fisher, who turned professional as a 18-year-old amid much fanfare but has struggled to progress after losing in a play-off at the Madeira Open in 2008, built on a solid opening round of 71 with a display that included seven birdies and two bogeys - despite seeing play interrupted for nearly two hours as a thunderstorm enveloped the Prosper Golf Resort.

That put him six-under after 36 holes, level with Gary Boyd and Damien McGrane and a shot behind clubhouse leader Juan Manuel Lara, who found five birdies on his inward nine to card a round of 68 and jump up the leaderboard to seven-under.

Swede Mikael Lundberg remains level with Lara with three holes still to play - although a combination of the weather delay and further lightning late in the day means he will have to return early on Saturday to complete his round.

Argentinian Tano Goya moved himself into contention at five-under after an impressive round of 66, alongside Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano and Lorenzo Gagli - who will look for another impressive finish after claiming third at the Scottish Open earlier in the year.

Meanwhile, veteran Paul McGinley followed his opening 69 with a 71 to put himself four-under for the tournament, a total matched by Steve Webster later in the day.

"Anything under par today is a pretty good score," said McGinley. "Some golf courses lend themselves to playing in the wind, but this one probably doesn't. There's lot of elevation changes and a lot of water, plus we didn't really get any help from the wind, because it seemed to be blowing across us most of the time.

"So it was a tough day, and to break par was good going."

Elsewhere there was disappointment, however, as Nick Dougherty has little chance of making his first cut of the year after four bogeys over his closing seven holes.

He was joined in taking the weekend off by Miguel Angel Jimenez, the Spaniard getting uncharacteristically frustrated with some of his shots on the way to a 77 that left him outside the top 100 on the leaderboard.

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