GOLF:A SEVEN-WEEK break appears to have done South African Thomas Aiken no harm at all and he takes a one-shot lead over Pablo Larrazabal into the third round of the Spanish Open in Barcelona.

The 27-year-old, who did not even touch a club during a month in the Bahamas, had his second successive 68 at El Prat to take over at the top from Scotland’s Scott Jamieson.

“When I started (practising) again I thought ‘what the hell have you done?’ because everything felt so strange,” said Aiken. “I wasn’t expecting much this week. I was using it to prepare for the rest of the season.”

As in the first round, Aiken – six times a winner in his home country, but yet to lift a European Tour title – made up for two bogeys with six birdies to stand eight under par.

Peter Lawrie, who won this title in 2008 in Madrid, was the best of the Irish after a level-par 72 left him four shots off the lead on four under.

Three birdies in his first six holes helped Shane Lowry reach six under at one stage in his round, but three bogeys and a double bogey saw him sign for a 73 to fall back to two under.

There was to be no miracle turnaround for Damien McGrane after his opening round of 83, with the Meathman carding a 75, while Gareth Maybin withdrew with an unspecified injury after his 14th hole. He was one over for his round at the time and two over for the tournament.

The day was overshadowed by news of the declining health of Seve Ballesteros, with Jose Maria Olazabal and Miguel Angel Jimenez reportedly in tears and unable to speak after reaching halfway on level par and one under respectively.

Another Spanish winner this week following Alvaro Quiros’s win last year is a possibility, with Larrazabal in second, while last season’s Challenge Tour number one Alvaro Velasco is in the group on six under alongside Jamieson, England’s Anthony Wall and Frenchman Romain Wattel.

Quiros crashed out of the event after a three-putt from 10 feet on the last left him on two over, one shot outside the cut.

Colin Montgomerie had real hopes of climbing into contention at three under early in his round, but then came three bogeys and 11 pars in a row for a 74 that dropped him just outside the top 40.