Louis Oosthuizen loses lead but stays hopeful at Scandinavian Masters

The Open champion, Louis Oosthuizen, lost the lead at the Nordea Scandinavian Masters in Stockholm, but still has a chance to make history this weekend. Nobody has ever lifted the Claret Jug and then won another European Tour title seven days later, but after a second round 70 at Bro Hof Slott, Oosthuizen is only two behind the Korean KJ Choi. That was a good result in the end for the 27-year-old South African. Two clear after birdies at the 11th and 12th – he resumed on the back nine – Oosthuizen then fell five adrift after going in the water at the short 17th while Choi had an eagle and three birdies around the turn. But Choi, who for the time being has abandoned his experiment with the bizarre-looking side-saddle putting stroke he used at St Andrews, then ran into problems on the undulating greens. Back with a conventional putter, he three-putted from only 10 feet at the 4th and, after coming back with another birdie at the next, he bogeyed the 6th and 7th after missing from nine and seven feet. A three-footer for birdie then failed to find the target on the 454-yard 8th and after hitting a superb second to 12 feet at the long 9th he had to settle for birdie and not the second eagle he was hoping for. With a 67 Choi posted a nine-under aggregate of 135, while at seven under Oosthuizen was himself two in front of the Australian left-hander Richard Green, who was only just starting his round. "It was very cold when we started and quite a bit windy," Oosthuizen said. "I could see a good round out there still, but I didn't putt so well and I'll try to sort that this afternoon." Choi commented: "I am very happy. In the cross-wind control is very hard, but I hit the ball so good. These greens are very slopey and the side-saddle needs more practice." The American Dustin Johnson, the joint overnight pacesetter with Green and Oosthuizen, produced a real mixed bag of a 73 to stand four under with the Swede Peter Hanson. Johnson, who a month ago led the US Open by three and then crashed to a closing 82, had five birdies for the second day running, but after going bogey-free in his opening round he had six this time.