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Strange and Wood lead Mercedes-Benz field

  • Story Highlights
  • Chris Wood and Scott Strange share halfway lead at Mercedes-Benz event
  • Pair lie on nine-under-par totals of 135 after 36 holes of Cologne tournament
  • First round leader Soren Hansen double bogeys 18th hole to relinquish lead
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(CNN) -- A closing double bogey from Ryder Cup player Soren Hansen -- the only one on the hole all day -- left England's Chris Wood and Australian Scott Strange sharing the halfway lead at the Mercedes-Benz Championship in Cologne on Friday.

Scott Strange posted a four-under-par 68 to share the lead after the second round of the Mercedes-Benz event.

Scott Strange posted a four-under-par 68 to share the lead after the second round of the Mercedes-Benz event.

Wood, the 21-year-old who was third in the British Open in July, continued his bid for a first European Tour title with a 69 to lie on nine-under-par.

For the second day running Wood kept a bogey off his card ane he told reporters: "It was a bit of a battle, but I'll take another 18 holes without a bogey -- and hopefully another 36."

Only two players, Englishman David J Russell and Swede Jesper Parnevik, have ever gone through a tournament without dropping a shot and both of them won.

"As long as I keep putting myself in position a win is going to happen. I just hope it's sooner rather than later," Wood said.

"The greens here are up there with the best I've ever putted on, but that has got to be some of the tightest flags I've ever played to."

Strange, winner of last year's Wales Open and this season's China Open, posted a 68 to draw level with Wood on 135, while first round leader Hansen's 71 dropped him into a tie for third, with South African James Kingston and England's Ross Fisher, just on shot behind.

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