Colsaerts Moves to Front in BMW Masters


Nicolas Colsaerts fired an 8-under 64 to take over the halfway lead in the BMW Masters. The first of four tournaments in the European Tour's season-ending "Final Series" is taking place at Lake Malaren Golf Club in Shanghai, China.

The long-hitting Belgian posted nine birdies and a bogey to reach 14-under 130, a stroke ahead of first-round leader, Alexander Levy, who followed up his opening 65 with a 66.

Colsaerts is happy with where is game is heading after struggling the past two years. "I felt like I've been in the zone a couple of times lately and it doesn't really happen in such a short period of time like this," said the 31-year-old, who hasn't won since the 2012 World Match Play Championship.

"So it's pretty nice when you can get it going like this and I've been playing quite well for the last couple of months," he told the European Tour's website. "I'm comfortable being back here now. I'm quite happy being here and playing the way I am capable of."

Trailing by three strokes is Levy's fellow Frenchman, Romain Wattel, who posted a 67, while four behind are South African Branden Grace and Germany's Marcel Siem, who each shot 66s, and Argentina's Emiliano Grillo (68).

In seventh at 9-under is Denmark's Thomas Bjorn (67), and tied for eighth at 136 are Finland's Mikko Ilonen (66), Welshman Jamie Donaldson (68), Ireland's Shane Lowry (68) and Ulsterman Graeme McDowell (69).

American Ryan Palmer recorded a 67 to rise into a tie for 12th at 7-under with South Africans Ernie Els and Darren Fichardt, who each had 68s, and Englishmen Justin Rose (65) and Oliver Wilson (67).

Rose was pleased to post a good mark Friday. "The guys took advantage of the scoring conditions and basically my seven under was needed to just somewhat keep pace," said the 2013 U.S. Open champion. "I played well and had the opportunity to go quite a few lower, too."

Denmark's Thorbjorn Olesen, who won last week's ISPS Handa Perth International in Australia, carded his second straight 70 and trails Colsaerts by 10 shots heading into the weekend.

There is no cut in the tournament, which has a field of 78 players.

For all the scores, visit http://www.europeantour.com/europeantour/season=2014/tournamentid=2014086/leaderboard/index.html.