European Tour: David Higgins fired a second round 68 to remain firmly in contention and just three shots off the lead at the halfway stage of the Andalucia Open at Aloha Golf Club in Spain.

The 34-year-old improved on yesterday's 69 by one shot and finds himself seven-under for the tournament and one  behind South African youngster Louis Oosthuizen who left several well-known names in the shade.

Oosthuizen was one ahead of last week's Italian Open winner Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano of Spain (68), first-round leader Matthew Zions of Australia (70) and Frenchman Francois Delamontagne (66).

Oosthuizen's playing partner Steve Jones (67), the 1996 US Open champion, bogeyed the last to fall two strokes behind the 24-year-old pacesetter. Lee Westwood was also two adrift of Oosthuizen after breaking the Aloha course record with a 64.

As for Higgins, his only bogey of the day came at the par three fourth after a birdie on the second.  Further birdies on the fifth, seventh, 10th and 12th were good enough to sign for his second sub 70 of the tournament.

Damien McGrane is next best of the Irish on three under with four holes left to play while Paul McGinley will make the cut after his level par 72 left the Dubliner on one under at the midpoint.

Westwood changed his putter, his grip and his fortunes on the greens dramatically as he lowered the Aloha record by one stroke with eight birdies. The 2000 European number one had despaired after a dreadful start to the season with his putter.

Switching from a belly-putter to a normal model and deploying his left hand below his right, Westwood at last found his form on the greens.

"I'd brought out five putters in anticipation because of the way things have been going," he said. "This one I used for the US Masters first round and vowed I'd never use it again but it suits the greens here. I putted cack-handed and I've not done that for a long, long time."