Sergio Garcia among Euro Tour leaders

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DOHA, Qatar, Jan. 24 (UPI) -- Sergio Garcia fired a bogey-free, 6-under-par 66 Thursday and claimed part of the four-way tie for first at the European Tour's Commercial Bank Qatar Masters.

Garcia had three birdies on each side in his second round and is at 9-under 135 halfway through the tournament.

First-round leader Ricardo Santos had five birdies and three bogeys Thursday for a 2-under 70 and is tied with Garcia. Also in first are Marcus Fraser and Martin Kaymer, who each had second round scores of 5-under 67.

Five players are tied for fifth at 8-under 136 and another five are at 7-under. A total of 30 golfers are within four strokes of the lead.

Santos lengthened his one-stroke, first-round lead with three birdies in his first four holes Thursday. He slipped back with a bogey at No. 7 and, as he did in the first round, went birdie-bogey-birdie over Nos. 10-12. A bogey 5 at the 15th hole left him tied for first.

Garcia, who had just one bogey Wednesday, had a birdie at the fourth hole Thursday and four more over the span of Nos. 7-12. A birdie at 16 pulled him into the tie for the lead.

Fraser, who started the second round on the back nine, bunched his five birdies over Nos. 1-7. Three of Kaymer's birdies were on par 3s.