Martin Kaymer, returning after nine weeks out with broken toes suffered in a go-kart accident, surprised himself by surging into a share of the lead after the Castello Masters second round Friday. The 24-year-old German was delighted to add a four-under 67 to his opening 63 to join Australian Robert Allenby (66) on 12-under 130, one ahead of tournament host Sergio Garcia. Defending champion Garcia was 11-under after sinking a par putt in near-darkness on the 15th and the Spaniard will have to return on Saturday morning to play his remaining three holes. He was one of 50 players yet to complete their rounds. After high winds had disrupted play Thursday, Kaymer had to play 25 holes with a tender foot a day later. “The last six or seven holes my foot was really hurting but only when walking,” he told reporters. “Now I'm going to put some ice on my foot, try to rest and do no walking on it.” Kaymer has lost his place on top of Europe's money-list and, having slipped to third behind number one Lee Westwood and Rory McIlroy, he is anxious to regain the lead. “I didn't expect to play as well as I have done because all parts of your game suffer when you don't play. But I want my top place back,” said the German. “Once you're up there you don't want to finish second or third,” said the back-to-back winner of the French and Scottish opens in July. India's Shiv Kapur returned a 65 to finish on 10-under 132 while Jose Maria Olazabal of Spain will have a three-foot putt to save par on the 15th on Saturday to remain two shots off the lead. O'Hern takes charge In Arizona, Australian Nick O'Hern covered the last nine holes in a blistering seven-under-par 28 to charge one shot clear in Thursday's first round of the Arizona Open in Scottsdale. Best known for twice beating Tiger Woods at the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship, left-hander O'Hern reeled off eight birdies and a lone bogey after the turn to card a sizzling seven-under 63. With his approach play and putting in red-hot form, he made the most of ideal scoring conditions at Grayhawk Golf Club to end a sunny day in the Arizona desert in control of the tournament. Americans Heath Slocum and Bob Heintz opened with 64s on the Raptor Course while South African Rory Sabbatini, Briton Greg Owen and DA Points and Ricky Fowler of the US returned 65s. Canadian left-hander Mike Weir, the 2007 champion, and American major winner Justin Leonard were among a large group on 66 but O'Hern's barn-storming finish was the highlight of the day. After offsetting a birdie at the second with a bogey at the sixth to reach the turn in level-par 35, the straight-hitting Australian caught fire on the back nine. He birdied the next six holes before his tee shot at the 16th ended up in water, resulting in a bogey four. However, he immediately recovered by sinking a 20-foot birdie putt at the 17th before knocking in a four
