Oosthuizen takes halfway lead

Louis Oosthuizen snatched the halfway lead at the Qatar Masters from former champion Andrew Coltart after the South African blitzed a flawless seven-under-par 65 on Friday.

With 1998 champion Coltart in the clubhouse on nine under following a solid 69, Abu Dhabi runner-up Oosthuizen battled early-afternoon rain to reach the turn in three under before taking advantage of calming conditions to move onto 12 under par and establish a three-shot lead over the Scot.

Portugal Masters champion Alvaro Quiros leapt up the leaderboard and into third place with a five-under 67.

He is joined at eight under by Australia's Brett Rumford, who signed for a solid 69 which included just a solitary bogey.

Miguel Angel Jimenez, who held the overnight lead with Coltart and another former champion Henrik Stenson, was satisfied with a one-under 71 but sits five adrift in fourth.

"I would have defiantly taken a three-shot lead after the second round. I am playing well and I am very happy," said Oosthuizen, who started the year with a 10th-place finish at the Joburg Open.

"It's always a nice confidence boost to play well the week before and that second spot was very close to a play-off. It was nice bringing that form to Qatar and I am very happy."

Stenson, the 2006 champion, could only manage a level-par 72 to remain at six under alongside Ireland's Damien McGrane (69) and Paul Broadhurst (70), while Lee Westwood needed three late birdies to salvage a 73 and dropped into a tie for 16th alongside Sergio Garcia, who signed for a second consecutive 70, at four under.

At the other end of the leaderboard, Boo Weekley (73), Abu Dhabi winner Paul Casey (69), Justin Rose (72) and Colin Montgomerie (75) all missed the cut.