Coetzee, Lorenzo-Vera and Harding lead in Qatar

George Coetzee, Mike Lorenzo-Vera and Justin Harding hold a share of the lead at the halfway mark in the Qatar Masters.

The trio of front-runners matched their first rounds of 68 to head into the weekend at the top of the leaderboard at Doha Golf Club.

Four-time European Tour champion Coetzee hit the turn in 33 after three birdies and made another gain at the 10th before going on to complete a bogey-free second round.

Harding - bidding to win the first title of his career - reeled off three consecutive birdies at the start of the back nine and came up with a fifth of his round at the 17th, dropping just one shot at the third.

Lorenzo-Vera joined the South African duo at the summit after a shaky start, bogeying only the first hole in an impressive round.

After 36 holes: -8 Lorenzo-Vera -8 Harding -8 Coetzee -7 Wilson -7 Van Rooyen -7 Kawamura -7 Arnaus All scores: https://t.co/6XlP1BAKtW

— The European Tour (@EuropeanTour) March 8, 2019

Adri Arnaus - joint-leader with Justin Walters overnight - is among four players just a shot off the lead on seven under.

The Spaniard carded a two-under 70 to sit level with Masahiro Kawamura, Erik van Rooyen and Oliver Wilson - who all signed for 68s.

Richie Ramsay and Nicolas Colsaerts are two of the eight players a further stroke back, while Walters dropped to four under with a one-over 73.