Doctors believe Spanish golf legend Severiano Ballesteros suffered an epileptic fit before being admitted four days ago to a Madrid hospital, where he has now left the intensive care unit, the facility said Friday. “Severiano Ballesteros has left the intensive care unit where he was admitted due to a partial epileptic fit, and is receiving the prescribed treatment. He is in a stable condition,” the La Paz hospital said in a statement. The 51-year-old was admitted on Monday after he suffered a dizzy spell and briefly lost consciousness. Ballesteros won the British Open in 1979, 1984 and 1988 and became the first European to win the Masters in 1980, a title he repeated in 1983. Schwartzel shares lead South African Charl Schwartzel, who was on the verge of withdrawing from the Madrid Masters on Friday, carded a flawless seven-under 64 for a share the second round lead with Australia's Marcus Fraser. The pair drew two shots ahead of the field, with Fraser setting the nine-under 133 target with an eight-birdie 66. Britain's Robert Rock (65) and Swede Steven Jeppesen (67) share third place on seven-under. Schwartzel's eagle and five birdies were an unexpected return after he decided to soldier on with a painful shoulder blade in Madrid, where last year he claimed his second tour title, the Spanish Open. Spain's twice Masters champion Jose Maria Olazabal came through his first test on the road to rehabilitation by making the cut, nine strokes behind the leaders after a level-par 72 left him level-par for the tournament. Liang keeps lead Liang Wen-chong of China kept a five-stroke lead Friday after the second round of the $1 million Hero Honda Indian Open. Liang, who shot a course-record 12-under 60 Thursday, had a 1-under 71 in the second round with five birdies - despite five bogies on the back nine. Liang's 13-under 131 kept him five shots clear of Sweden's Daniel Chopra, who had a 2-under 70 for an overall 136. Chopra's second round was marred by a double-bogey on the par-five eighth hole. Australian Adam Blyth, Taiwan's Lu Wen-teh and Ashok Kumar of India featured in a three-way tie on 137, one stroke behind Chopra. Guido van der Valk of the Netherlands shot back with an 11-under 61 Friday that placed him in joint 10th on a total of 138 with 10 others. Three share lead Michele Redman and Maria Hjorth and Michele Redman top the leaderboard with defending champion Suzann Pettersen also in the hunt after the first round of the $1.2 million USLPG Longs Drugs Challenge at Danville, California. Hjorth and Redman each recorded seven birdies and a bogey en route to rounds of 6-under-par 66 at Blackhawk Country Club. In-Kyung Kim and Mikaela Parmlid find themselves one shot back at 5-under, while last year's champion sits within striking distance. Pettersen is in search of her second straight title here.
