Dougherty is 15th in the Ryder Cup points table

Nick Dougherty made three birdies in the last four holes to share the midway lead at the SAS Masters in Stockholm.

Dougherty carded a second straight 66 to put him on eight under par, a score matched by Swede Peter Hanson.

His late surge began on the 15th when he holed a 15-foot putt and then got up and down from sand at the 17th.

A four-iron to 10 feet on the next set up a birdie to leave the 26-year-old two shots ahead of Denmark's Soren Kjeldsen and Swede Patrik Sjoland.

Former Ryder Cup pair Paul Broadhurst and Peter Baker, Scot Gary Orr and another Swede, US Tour-based Daniel Chopra are a further shot back.

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Dougherty, leader of the Ryder Cup points table last October, has fallen to 15th since the death of his mother after a heart attack in April.

He said: "The Ryder Cup would be lovely and I would be an idiot if I said it does not matter, but more important is enjoying my golf again.

"I've had my reasons to feel a bit down, but considering how I've played the last few months I've a lot to smile about this week."