TWO bogeys in Graeme Strom's final three holes blew his chances of staying in touch with leader Oliver Wilson at the Omega European Masters.

The Hartlepool golfer approached the 16th tee in a strong position after claiming five birdies on the Crans-sur-Sierre course, despite his solitary bogey at the fifth.

But, underneath Switzerland's Crans Montana, Storm now faces an equally sizeable task if he is to win his second Tour event of the season tomorrow afternoon.

The 29-year-old hit a bogey-four at the 235-yard 16th and then he followed that up with a similarly depressing five on the 386-yard, 17th hole.

And, despite steadying himself to claim a credible par at the last to post a 69 for successive days, Storm's late hiccup cost him and the five shot deficit he held to Wilson quickly became seven ahead of today's third round.

Nevertheless, on a course that he has struggled on in the past, he is nicely placed to push for a top five place as he looks to make further inroads towards the Order of Merit top ten.

Wilson meanwhile resumed his first round with an eagle and finished his second with a birdie a few hours later to claim the halfway lead in the Omega European Masters.

Wilson was one of 44 players unable to complete their opening rounds on Thursday after a two-hour delay due to overnight frost at Crans-sur-Sierre.

The former Walker Cup star was three under par at the time and faced with a 10ft eagle putt on the 15th green when play was suspended at 8pm local time.

Under European Tour regulations he could have completed the hole but chose to mark his ball and return yesterday morning, holing the putt and also picking up a birdie on the 17th to card a 65.

After a 30-minute break to grab some breakfast, Wilson then compiled a 66 with six further birdies and one bogey for an 11-under-par total of 131, one shot ahead of defending champion Bradley Dredge of Wales with Australian Brett Rumford two shots further back in third.

''It was a good decision because I was putting well but my caddie said to me it would be good to come back on a positive note and it worked out well,'' said Wilson.

''It is amazing the difference it made having that putt to start with. I knew realistically I would make birdie for four under and five was a bonus.''

Wilson has had several chances to claim his maiden European Tour title - losing a play-off to Paul Casey in the Volvo China Open in November 2005 and another in the Johnnie Walker Classic in Thailand in March - but is confident it is just a matter of time before he makes the breakthrough.

''The win is going to happen at some stage, I want to keep getting myself into contention,'' Wilson said.

''I think I've stopped putting the pressure on myself about that.

''I feel like I'm playing well enough to compete every week so hopefully one time I will get the breaks and it will happen with few more to follow.

''I know how to get into contention here (he was fifth after three rounds in 2005 and in the penultimate group on the final day last year before fading), I just haven't finished it off yet.

''There is a long way to go and there are no easy holes so I just have to keep concentrating and try to eliminate as many mistakes as possible.''