Langer fightback stalls

Bernhard Langer was furious with himself in Munich after spoiling his chances of winning the one German event to have eluded him in his career.

A month after losing a play-off on the US Tour, the 49-year-old was only four off the lead after a spectacular climb through the field at the BMW International Open, but then bogeyed two of the last three holes.

"I hate to finish bad," he said. "You come off and you are mad at yourself. We work so hard for three hours and then you give it away in 30 minutes."

What made it worse was that Langer considers Eichenried's 319-yard 16th and long 18th the two easiest holes. But first he misjudged the wind and spun a pitch into the lake, then he hooked a drive into more water.

He had been 135th after an opening 76 on Thursday, but made the cut by the skin of his teeth with a second round 66 and when he played the first 15 holes in a superb six under he had moved into a tie for sixth place.

With the two dropped shots he fell back into the pack and admitted: "I think they've cost me my chance. I just hit two wrong shots at the wrong time."

Overnight leaders Niclas Fasth and Peter Hanson - the two Swedes were 12 under and 10 under respectively - had still to tee off when Langer finished, but there was enough low scoring to suggest they or somebody else would move out of the former Ryder Cup captain's reach.

Langer's playing partner Phillip Price, his team-mate against the Americans at The Belfry five years ago, also returned a 68 for six under.

But just behind them South African Darren Fichardt and France's Jean-Francois Lucquin showed it was possible to come a cropper. They shot 80 and 79 respectively.

Scot Alastair Forsyth played the first 15 holes in five under to stand eight under, but Ernie Els was still six under after a birdie and a bogey in his first seven holes.