Coetzee shares lead in Munich as Langer fades

Former world number four Henrik Stenson and South African George Coetzee reached the halfway point of Munich's BMW International Open with a share of the lead after Friday's second round.

The Swede, looking for his first win in two years, was unable to match his thrilling opening round 64 and, having been three clear of the field after six, bogeyed his last two holes for an ultimately disappointing round of 70.

"It's never fun to finish with two bogeys, but you gain some, you lose some -- sometimes that's the way it is," said Stenson, who is now lingering at 124 in the world.

"I'm in a good position and I'm feeling very good. I had to fight a little bit early on, but I managed to stay patient."

He will certainly want to keep an eye on Coetzee, who carded his second round of 67 to join Stenson on 10 under for the tournament.

The 24-year-old from Pretoria, who will play in his first Major when he takes part in the British Open at Sandwich next month, produced three bogeys but more than compensated with six birdies and an eagle on the par-five 11th.

"I believe I can win every single event and the more I get in contention in Europe, the more I will believe I should be up there," said Coetzee.

Stenson and Coetzee have a one-stroke lead over Spain's Pablo Larrazabel, who is himself one shot clear of a pack of five on eight under, including Welshman Bradley Dredge, who carded a superb round of 66.

German veteran Bernhard Langer, though, failed to make the cut for the first time in 21 appearances.

The 53-year-old is labouring with a painful injury to his left thumb and having fired an 11 over par, failed to make the cut for the first time in Bavaria since making his debut here in 1989.

"I am not taking the result too seriously," he told SID, an AFP subsidiary, having enjoyed warm applause on the 18th hole.

"If I were healthy and had shot rounds of 76 and 79, I would be very depressed, but I am not really fit. I played eight to twelve holes in pain."

The two-time Masters champion says he will now rest before attempting to play at the Open -- which could be his last major tournament.

"I now have two weeks off, I will visit my mother and then the British Open is my goal," said Langer.

"I will do everything to try and manage that. It could be my last."