McGrane leads at Indian Open

New Delhi -- Damien McGrane closed with three birdies in five holes Friday, and grabbed a 2-stroke lead halfway through the Indian Masters golf tournament in New Delhi.

The final charge of birdies allowed McGrane to claim his first lead after two rounds. He finished with a 3-under-par 69 Friday and is at 8-under 136 after 36 holes.

Hendrik Buhrmann, Raphael Jacquelin and Graeme McDowell, who all also shot 69 in the second round, are tied for second at 6-under 138. First-round leader Jyoti Randhawa fought through a 5-over 77 Friday and is tied for 15th place.

McGrane started Friday's round on the back nine and was even -- with a bogey at No. 11 and a birdie at 14 -- through 11 holes. He added a birdie at the third hole but gave that stroke back the next hole.

But he had a 2 at the par-3 fifth and backed that with a birdie at No. 6 to get to the top of the leaderboard. He pushed his lead to two strokes with another birdie on his final hole of the day.

Copyright 2008 by United Press International.