EUROPEAN

• Karlsson takes the lead in Germany

  
  

  Cologne, Germany (Sports Network) - Robert Karlsson posted a three-under 69 on Friday to move into the lead at the midway point of the Mercedes-Benz Championship.

  Karlsson finished 36 holes at eight-under 136 and he is one clear at Gut Larchenhof.

  Jean-Francois Lucquin, an overnight co-leader who earned his first European Tour title last week, only managed a one-under 71 on Friday, but is alone in second at minus-seven.

  Peter Hanson carded a 69 in round two and is third at six-under 138, which is one shot better than Thursday's second co-leader, Richard Finch, who struggled to a one-over 73 on Friday.

  Karlsson broke into red figures for the first time Friday with a birdie at the par-five third hole.

  Two holes later Karlsson birdied the fifth hole and found himself one off the lead.

  Karlsson birdied the par-five seventh for the second time in as many days. That birdie knotted Karlsson in first place, a spot he did not relinquish on Friday.

  "You have to take chances on the par fives around here," acknowledged Karlsson. "I played them well." Karlsson cruised around the turn, but holed a gutsy five-footer to save par at the 12th. He birdied No. 13 to get to nine-under par for the championship, but the next par five did not go as well as the previous ones.

  At the 15th Karlsson found trouble in the form of a fairway bunker, and he left himself with 10 feet just to save bogey. He converted that putt and parred out for the 36-hole lead.

  "It was a good day," said Karlsson. "Today was wet and muggy. I never ever played this course, this long.

  It's good. It's distance to the limit and a change of conditions day-to-day." Karlsson admitted being surprised with how well he played considering he missed almost a month.

  There were reports of a neck injury and Karlsson will be making the trip to Valhalla next week for the Ryder Cup.

  Before that, Karlsson still has business in Germany.

  "I'm playing well, but it's important not to get ahead of myself and keep working on what I'm doing," said Karlsson.

  "It feels good.

  It's more of a feeling of being in a flow and not getting too much caught up in what's happening around you. That's definitely good." Defending champion and Ryder Cup teammate of Karlsson's Soren Hansen shot a 67 on Friday to creep back into contention. He is tied for fifth place with Marcel Siem, who posted a 68, at minus-four.

  Former U.S. Open champion Michael Campbell (70), Johan Edfors (67), Ross Fisher (73) and Marc Warren (69) are knotted in seventh place at three-under 141.

  There is no cut since it's a 78-player field, so other notable scores include: John Daly (144), Fred Couples (145) and European Ryder Cuppers Miguel Angel Jimenez and Graeme McDowell, both of whom are at 145.

  Bernhard Langer (146), Stuart Appleby (149), Darren Clarke (150) and Retief Goosen (152) are out of contention.

  09/12 13:37:31 ET