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Bettering the Brits Romero keeps Euro Masters lead over Westwood, Clarke
CRANS-SUR-SIERRE, Switzerland (AP) -- Eduardo Romero tripled his overnight lead to three shots with a 3-under-par 68 Friday in the second round of the European Masters. The 46-year-old Argentine, who won the title in 1994, led by three over the British duo of Lee Westwood and Darren Clarke along with Jarrod Moseley of Australia an South African Hennie Otto. Romero held the lead at 132, 10-under for 36 holes on the 6,846-yard mountain course. Westwood carded a 66 despite a bogey at his last hole, while Clarke and Moseley scored 67s. Otto recorded a 69 and all four are on 135. Dane Thomas Bjorn, second and third in the British Open and the U.S. PGA, respectively, this summer and winner of last week's BMW International Open in Germany, recovered from a poor first round to shoot 64 for sixth on 136. Michael Campbell of New Zealand, second after the first round, dropped four shots with two bogeys and a double bogey in his first four holes on the way to a 74, nine shots worse that Thursday. He is on 3-under, seven off the lead. Romero, who comes from the mountain-high city of Cordoba and who likes the atmosphere in this Swiss ski resort, had four bogeys Friday but atoned with seven birdies including three in his last four holes, two of them with 12-foot putts (4 meters) the other after a fine chip to 18 inches (45 cm). "I'm playing solid but my concentration was bad on those bogey holes," said Romero, who uses yoga in an attempt to improve his concentration. "It's much better than it was but when it goes I lose it completely. I don't know how to hit the putt even though I see the line," he said. Starting at the 10th, his first bogey of the week came at the long 15th where he pulled his second shot into a bush. After another bogey at the short 16th, he nearly holed a pitching wedge second at the 17th and made birdie before adding four more against two bogeys on his second nine. Westwood, defending the title he won last year and seeking a fifth victory in Europe this year, shot 66 despite playing the par-5s poorly with two birdies and two bogeys, one on a 3-putt at his last hole. Clarke, critical Thursday of the sloping greens recently put in by Seve Ballesteros, blamed himself Friday for missing a series of short putts. "I had 32 putts in a round of 67. That's very poor. I'm hitting the greens, which is tough, but not taking advantage," he said. Moseley said he would not be nervous in exalted company at the Weekend, saying, "I don't get overawed playing with these guys." Bjorn, arguably Europe's best golfer right now, recovered from his opening 72 largely on the strength of chopping five shots off par in four successive holes of the back nine. He hit a 5-iron to 4 feet (1.2 meter) to set up a birdie at 13, got up and down from a greenside bunker for birdie at the long 14th, then hit the shot of his round at the long 15th. It was a 3-iron second of 229 yards that finished two feet from the flag for a tap-in eagle. Then he iced the cake by holing from 55 (17 meters) feet for birdie at the 236-yard 16th. Trying for aback nine of 29, he went for the pin at the last but was fortunate not to end up in a green-side lake. From the bank, he chipped and putted for par. "It took me a while to wake up this week. But I went crazy on the back nine," he said. "I feel I can shoot low numbers at the moment. I'm comfortable out there. Even if I'm not making birdies early I keep patient because I know I can make birdies."
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