Two share lead at suspended Czech Open

Celadna, Czech Republic – Jose Manuel Lara and Mikael Lundberg are tied atop the leaderboard during Friday's suspended second round of the Czech Open.

Lara shot a four-under 68 on Friday to get into the clubhouse at seven-under 137. Lundberg is three-under, but has yet to complete the second round at Prosper Golf Resort.

A heavy storm halted play for almost 90 minutes Friday, but golf resumed and scoring conditions improved thanks to diminished winds.

"It (the wind) was coming from all directions, but mainly from left to right," said Lara. "It also made it difficult to read the putts, because you weren't sure how much the wind was going to affect the ball. So it was very tricky, and I was happy when it died down later in the round."

A second bout of lightning stopped play for the day with several players not yet finishing round two.

Players will return to the course at 8:30 a.m. local time on Saturday to polish off the round. The cut will be made and the third round will begin shortly thereafter.

Oliver Fisher (67), Damien McGrane (71) and last year's runner-up Gary Boyd (67) share third at six-under 138.

Lara began on the back nine Friday and rattled off five straight pars before a bogey at No. 15 temporarily derailed the round. He parred his last three on the opening side, but got going on his second nine.

The Spaniard birdied the first, third and fifth holes to reach five-under par. Lara birdied the seventh, a hole he bogeyed on Thursday, then drained an improbable 50-footer for birdie on the last to get in at seven-under par.

"I played really well on my back nine," said Lara. "I struggled a little bit early on because of the wind, but then made five birdies on my back nine, which added up to a good round. So I'm very happy."

Lara has two European Tour titles, including last year's Austrian GolfOpen.

His co-leader also has two wins, both coming at the Russian Open, but he lost his tour card last year. Lundberg is teeing it up in his fourth European Tour event of 2011. He's spent of his season on the Challenge Tour.

On Friday, Lundberg also started on No. 10 and he played the second nine at Prosper Golf Resort much better than Lara. Lundberg record three birdies and no bogeys to make the turn at seven-under par for the championship.

Lundberg birdied the par-four third, which was a huge improvement from Thursday's opening round when he made double-bogey. He was alone in the lead at minus-eight, but a bogey at the par-three sixth, his last hole before the horn sounded, dropped him into a tie for first with Lara.

Tano Goya (66), Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano (68) and Lorenzo Gagli (70) are tied for sixth at five-under 139. Shane Lowry is five-under for the tournament, but has one hole to complete.

Paul McGinley (71) and Steve Webster (70) are in at four-under 140, while Alfredo Garcia-Heredia is at the same number with a few holes to finish.

NOTES: First-round leader and playoff loser last year Peter Lawrie struggled to a three-over 75 and fell down to three-under 141...The cut is expected to fall at two-over par and course designer Miguel Angel Jimenez will miss the mark with a two-round total of nine-over 153.