PARIS, Oct. 11 (UPI) -- Maarten Lafeber of the Netherlands shot a second straight 6-under 65 Friday to take the lead midway through the Trophee Lancome.
Lafeber had six birdies in his last 10 holes Friday and stood at 12-under 130 after 36 holes. He owns a two-stroke advantage over first-round leader Alex Cejka of Germany.
Playing the back nine first, the 27-year-old Dutchman started with eight straight pars, then holed his bunker shot on the 18th to kickstart his round. He sank a nine-foot birdie putt on No. 1 and used a 6-iron to set up a 25-foot birdie putt on the third hole. Lafeber added birdies on the fifth, sixth and eighth holes.
"I had some good chances early in the round, kept patient and then holed the bunker shot to get the round going," Lafeber said. "I putted well, 29 putts today and 27 putts yesterday, which helps. It was good to find the right place on the greens as the pins were tricky today."
Lafeber seeks his first win of the year after finishing tied for second at the Madeira Island Open earlier this year.
"I should have won in Madeira this year, but I left too many shots out there on the back nine," he said. "It took quite a while for me to recover but I just have to be patient. It's my fifth year on tour. I know what I can do, it's a matter of getting the ball in the hole as quickly as possible."
Cejka fired a 3-under 68 after an opening-round 64 and was at 132. A second-place finisher in his last outing at the German Masters.
Argentina's Ricardo Gonzalez matched Lafeber's 65 and was tied with Bradley Dredge of Wales five shots back. Gonzalez, who totalled seven birdies and just one bogey Friday, hopes to move into the top 15 of the Order of Merit from his current spot of 25th.
Five golfers were another shot back, including Ryder Cup hero Paul McGinley of Ireland, who fired a 69.
