Lombard, Bourdy share halfway lead

South African Zander Lombard and Frenchman Gregory Bourdy hold a share of the halfway lead at the Lyoness Open in Austria.

The duo lie on seven under par at a windy Atzenbrugg, just one shot clear of Bourdy's countryman Gary Stal.

Lombard rose to the top courtesy of a two-under-par 70, while Bourdy added a three-under 69 and Stal a 71.

Spain's Borjia Virto lies in fourth place on five under, followed by Joost Luiten, Richard McEvoy and Adrian Otaegui a shot further back.

Otaegui held the lead overnight but fell off the pace with a disappointing four-over-par 76.

Co-leader Lombard's round threatened to be much better at one point. The 21-year-old started with four birdies in his opening six holes, but could only play his remaining 12 holes in two over par.

He was still pleased with his round in difficult conditions, however.

“It was so brutal with the wind out there today. Club selection was absolutely crucial and with the pins positions today, they were tough with the wind direction," said Lombard.

"I was really hitting great shots on the front nine with just a few misjudgements with the winds on the back nine which cost me a few shots.

“I holed a six footer at the first, missed a ten footer on two and made a great par on three. My momentum got me going then and I made three birdies in a row, so it was just a matter of hitting great shots and a few putts went in."

Bourdy was more consistent in his round, adding two birdies before the turn and two more after, with his only dropped shot of the day coming at the par-four 11th.