Patrik Sjoland of Sweden shot a seven-under-par 65 and took the second round lead in the British Masters Friday after Eduardo Romero was penalized two strokes at the end of his round.
Sjoland was 10 under for 36 holes. Romero, who birdied the last two holes, appeared to be one ahead of him until he was penalized two strokes for a rule violation on the 14th green.
It was ruled afterward that his ball moved on the 14th green as he was about to tap it in. He was penalized a stroke for causing it to move, then another stroke because he did not replace the ball on its spot before hitting his next putt.
His apparent 66 became a 68 and he was one behind the Swede.
Colin Montgomerie, playing despite the breakup of his marriage last week, added a three-under-par 69 to his opening 72 and safely made the halfway cut.
"It's the first time I've ever entered a tournament without my competitive hat on. I'm happy to be in for the weekend," he said.
Romero was sure at the time that he had not broken a rule at the 14th but was called by referee John Paramor to view a video after his round and conceded readily that he had.
His playing partner, Barry Lane, had suggested at the 14th that he might have broken the rule.
"I was 100 percent certain I had not, but when I saw the video afterwards, I had touched the grass," he said.
"A rule is a rule. I made a mistake. It is my fault. I'm a little sad," added the Argentine, who is two months short of his 50th birthday.
He becomes a senior in mid-July, in time to play the British Senior Open at Royal Portrush from July 22-25.
Sjoland, 32, was a hot prospect when he won the 2000 Irish Open but his game has fallen away since then. He blames a lack of focus.
England's Brian Davis joined Romero on nine-under after a 67, with Lee Westwood's 65 boosting him to eight under par.
Montgomerie was pleased to survive for the weekend after the recent turmoil of his marriage breakdown.
He said he had spent Thursday evening with his psychologist Hugh Mantle "because I wanted a chat."
"It is certainly a new era for me and a new phase in my life. A new life I am starting. I am just happy to be on a golf course doing my job," he added.
Montgomerie played again with Westwood and Nick Faldo, whose aim to play his way onto Europe's Ryder Cup team took a severe knock. A second successive 75 left him six over par on 150 and he missed the halfway cut of 144 by six strokes.
So did Jose Maria Olazabal, bogeys at the 15th, 16th and 17th holes giving him a 74. On 146, he missed out by two shots.
Ultra Open
Kim Williams shot a tournament-record 8-under-par 63 in the Michelob Ultra Open at Kingsmill Golf Club on Friday and took a four-shot lead into the weekend.
Williams posted one of the few bogey-free rounds of the first two days, and made six birdies and an eagle on the 5,706m layout. It was the best round of her 16-year career. She's still seeking her first victory, but said it's too early to start thinking about celebrating.
"I am just happy I made the cut," she said.
"Can you tell me who was leading halfway through the Super Bowl? No. Can you tell me who was leading halfway through the Boston Marathon? No. You know who won ... I have led the US Open after the first day a couple of times. All it gets you is making the cut."
Williams has a long way to go before worrying about winning. The tournament's US$2.2 million purse is the third-largest on the women's tour, and has attracted as start-studded a crowd as the LPGA can offer.
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