Molinari still in front at Portugal Masters

Francesco Molinari posted a six-under 66 on Friday to stay atop the leaderboard after the second round of the Portugal Masters.

The Italian equaled the lowest 36-hole score on the European Tour this season with a 15-under 129. Molinari is one stroke clear at Oceanico Victoria Golf Course.

Charl Schwartzel bogeyed the par-four 18th hole Friday to fall out of a share of the lead. He fired his second 65 in as many rounds to finish at 14-under- par 130.

Three-time major winner Padraig Harrington fired a 10-under 62 in round two and is alone in third place at 13-under 131. Two-time U.S. Open champion Retief Goosen, who played in the Presidents Cup last week, shot an eight-under 64 and is tied for fourth place with Pablo Martin, who had his second 66 on Friday. The pair is knotted at minus-12.

Molinari began on the 10th tee Friday and parred his first two holes. He broke into red figures with a birdie at the par-five 12th, then made it two in a row with a birdie at 13. Molinari birdied both of those holes on Thursday as well.

He parred 14, then birdied the 15th to get to 12-under for the tournament. Molinari parred the par-three 16th, and closed his opening nine with back-to- back birdies at 17 and 18.

Molinari wasn't quite as good on his second nine.

He birdied the second hole, but parred his next three in a row. Molinari bogeyed the par-three sixth hole to fall down to 14-under par for the championship, but better things were ahead.

Molinari birdied the par-three eighth hole to get to minus-15. He parred his last to hold on for his first second-round lead on the European Tour and to match the lowest 36-hole score on tour in the 2009 season.

"I have had a good couple of days and I have been playing very well," said Molinari. "I am happy with everything in the game but I know that it is going to be a tough weekend."

Molinari has one European Tour victory and that came at the 2006 Italian Open. Earlier this year, Molinari had a 63 in the first round of the The 3 Irish Open, but he was disqualified after the second round for signing an incorrect scorecard.

He's hoping the weekend goes better this time around.

"It would be really good to win or to finish well in a week like this, especially being in the end of the year," said Molinari, who is 23rd in the Race to Dubai.

Schwartzel birdied four in a row from the third on the front nine, then parred five in a row around the turn. He birdied No. 12 and rattled off three more consecutive birdies from the 15th.

After his short birdie putt at 17, Schwartzel was tied with Molinari atop the leaderboard. He made a mess of the closing hole and bogeyed it for the second day in a row.

Defending champion Alvaro Quiros (65), Alastair Forsyth (68) and Lee Westwood (67) are knotted in sixth place at 11-under 133.

Oliver Fisher (67) and Simon Khan (68) share ninth at minus-10.

The 36-hole cut came at four-under 140 and several big-name players have the weekend off.

Niclas Fasth, Ross Fisher, Paul Lawrie, Michael Campbell, Robert Karlsson and David Howell all missed the midway mark.

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